Starting Over
by Tonks Ozog
Summary: When fertility issues cause Hermione and Ron's relationship to crumble, a newly resurrected Marauder is there to pick up the pieces.
1. chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

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 **October 2008**

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In a cold, stark white hospital room, the golden trio stand side by side with identical stunned expressions as they stare directly at the smirking face if Sirius Black, who until now they had believed to be at best lost to the world and in the worst case scenario - dead. Apparently, they had been very wrong.

What made the situation even more bizarre, was that while they had aged twelve years in his absence, he appeared to look completely the same as he had when he had fallen through the veil in 1996. His beard was no longer and his hair held no greying from age. Whereas when he had entered the veil there had been two decades of age between him and them, there was now merely seven.

"What the fuck?" Hermione choked, snapping everyone out of their stunned silence as Sirius gave a loud bark of laughter and the two men at either side of her chuckled.

"As you can see," said the healer who had accompanied them in only seconds before, "Mr Black is very much alive, shows no signs of aging and has been told everything he needed to know in order to catch up with the events of the war."

"How?!" Hermione gasped and the healer merely shrugged.

"No-one knows," the woman grinned, "it's being looked into by the Ministry but at this point, I would suggest accepting it for what it is. I will leave you to catch up."

With that said, the blonde woman who appeared to be wearing a robe designed for a child and showed almost the whole of her legs, left the room with Sirius eyes following her intently. Hermione watched as Harry closed the gap between himself and his godfather and embraced him, clearing his throat to remove the lump that she suspected to be there during their reunion.

"Hello, pup." Sirius grinned, pushing Harry back and gripping his shoulders, getting a good look at him, "how old are you now?"

"28," Harry croaked, clearing his throat before continuing, "how much have they told you?"

Hermione, also intrigued by the answer Sirius would give, moved to sit on the chair at his bedside, leaving Ron hovering in the doorway looking moody, his usual expression these days. She rolled her eyes at his behaviour and turned to Sirius, who turned to her when she put her hand on top of his.

"You can't be Hermione," he said as he winked at her and she felt the heat creep up her cheeks as she nodded, rolling her eyes, "you've turned into quite the woman, kitten."

"Thanks, Sirius," she snorted, shaking her head, "how much do you know about… everything?"

He filled them in on what he had been told by the healers, which turned out to be everything that happened between his trip to the beyond and the downfall of Voldemort, including everyone who had died during the fighting. It was a lot to take in, and Hermione found herself growing tearful as she listening to his deep, melodic voice.

"What's up, love?" Sirius asked, frowning when he turned to her and she shook her head, wiping her eyes.

"I just can't believe you're back!" She sniffled and Sirius gestured for her to come onto the bed for a cuddle and she resolutely ignored Ron's grumbling as she did so, laying her head on the older man's shoulder. Apparently, Sirius could not ignore it as well as she could, however.

"What's up with you, Ron?"

"Nothing." Ron snapped moodily.

Hermione looked up to Sirius with pleading eyes, shaking her head, begging him not to push the matter. His eyebrow raised and he nodded minutely to show his agreement, but she knew he would ask another time and she dreaded that conversation. Sighing, she informed them she was going to use the loo, needing some time away from the black cloud that was her boyfriend, and left the room.

As she entered the bathroom, she sat down on the closed toilet lid and dropped her head into her hands, groaning. Things with Ron had been growing unbearable since they started to try for a baby two years ago and she had failed. Every month was a disappointment for both of them, but Ron found his solace in blaming her entirely for the situation and she didn't know how much longer she could take his belittling and accusations.

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After returning to Sirius' hospital room she sat quietly as she listened to Harry and Sirius talking about Harry's young family, how he had married Ginny and now had three beautiful children. Ron was huffing as he glared out of the window and as Harry mentioned potentially trying for another, he turned his glare on her.

"I wouldn't mind just having one," he spat, "but for some reason it's not happening, right 'Mione?"

"Ron, please…" she begged, turning her eyes to the floor and feeling her eyes well with tears of embarrassment.

"Fuck this," Ron snapped, still glaring at her, "I'm going to the pub, I'll see you when I get home."

Hermione listened, trying to discreetly wipe her eyes as Ron stormed from the room and slammed the door. Neither Sirius or Harry spoke as she collected herself and she found them both to be looking at her with frowns on their faces when she looked up, trying to offer a weak smile.

"Don't do that," Harry sighed, standing from the bed and rounding it to put his arm around her, "you know you don't have to pretend with me."

"What was that about, love?" Sirius asked, his voice as gentle as she had ever heard it as he reached out and took her hand.

"It's nothing." She said, trying to smile and she heard Harry scoff.

"It's not nothing, Hermione," he said, rubbing her shoulder and turning to Sirius, "Ron and Hermione have been trying for a baby for over two years."

"No luck?" Sirius asked, squeezing her hand and she shook her head, sniffling, "have you had any tests?"

"Ron got himself tested and his results were fine, so it's obviously me." She muttered and Sirius sighed.

"That doesn't make it your fault, Hermione, I've told you this a hundred times." Harry said, smoothing a hand down her hair.

"Is he always so…." Sirius trailed off and Harry snorted.

"Argumentative? Moody? Abusive?" Harry offered and Hermione's snapped up at the last.

"He's not abusive, Harry." She assured and he sighed, shaking his head.

"What else do you call it? He shouts at you almost constantly and treats you like crap." He muttered and Hermione sighed, her shoulders drooping.

"Is it that bad?" Sirius asked softly and Hermione looked into his eyes before giving a resigned nod.

It really was that bad and Hermione knew it wasn't healthy, nor did it provide a basis for bringing a child into the world. She knew that it had to end one way or another soon, whether it was fixed somehow or they went their separate ways. But she desperately lover Ron, at least the Ron he used to be before starting a family became his only concern, and she wanted to make their relationship work somehow.

It was difficult to explain the feelings that she held for Ron, especially when he acted towards her in such a way, but love is weird like that. Although she knew that the way he was with her was wrong, she also knew what he could be when he was happy. With Sirius and Harry watching her, though, she knew what they were thinking. Why doesn't she just leave?

"I love him." She shrugged tiredly, "I know it's awful right now, but I'm hoping it's going to get better."

"How is that going to happen?" Sirius asked and she shrugged.

"I have a baby, I guess."

"And if you can't?" Harry asked and Hermione sighed, rubbing her temples to stave off a headache.

"Then I don't know."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

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 **December 2008**

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Christmas with the Weasleys was always the same, Hermione found. It always started with the loud and excited inhabitants gathered around the kitchen table in the Burrow, eating an especially delicious breakfast before everyone transferred into the living room to partake in the frenzied unwrapping of presents. Once that was done and thanks were given and received, the afternoon would be filled with general chatting and playing with the children before a gut busting roast dinner. It was always the same, followed the same pattern, and it was somehow quite a comforting thought to know what was to come.

This year, for once, would be slightly different, as it was the first time that Sirius was going to make an appearance in the wider world than either the hospital or Grimmauld Place, where he had been staying ever since he had been discharged from St Mungo's. Only a few people knew that he was back and it was Hermione's job to reveal him to the Weasleys, which is why she found herself in the basement kitchen of Grimmauld Place waiting for Sirius to get his arse into gear, instead of having an especially delicious breakfast at the Burrow.

"Sirius!" She shouted out into the hallway, "hurry up! I'm hungry!"

"Hold your Hippogryffs, woman," he hissed as he came running down the stairs, arms loaded with gifts that he dumped on the kitchen table as he entered, "I want a word with you."

"Oh gods," she moaned, "let me guess, you want to talk about how stupid I am to stay with Ron?"

"You're not stupid, Hermione," he sighed, shaking his head and pulling a chair from the table before sitting down and pulling out the one next to him, gesturing for her to sit, which she did, albeit reluctantly, "loving him doesn't make you stupid. It makes you blind."

"What do you mean?" She asked, frowning.

"Love…" he sighed, taking her hand gently and brushing his thumb over her knuckles, "I've seen how he talks to you since I've been back and it's not right. It's not going to get better."

"If I can-"

"What, Hermione?" He snapped, dropping her hand and collapsing against the back of the chair, shaking his head at her, "if you manage to have a baby?"

"Yes!"

"You've been trying for what, two years?" He asked and she nodded, "then it's probably not going to happen. What then? What about if you don't have a baby? Will you let him talk to you the same way for the rest of your life?"

"You don't get to talk to me like that!" Hermione snapped, pushing her chair back and walking toward the door but was stopped by his hand grabbing her wrist.

"What happened to the Hermione I used to know? Where did she go?" He hissed and Hermione gasped pulling her wrist from his hand.

"I haven't changed!" She shouted, storming into the living room, hearing his footsteps behind her.

"You let him belittle you, tear you down, make you feel like a failure," he snapped loudly and she scoffed, turning around to face him with her arms crossed, "before I left, you would have slapped him or worse for that, and now you actually let him. Wake up, Hermione! You're better than this!"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but changed her mind at the last moment when something rang true with what Sirius was saying. Hadn't she punched Draco Malfoy all those years for talking to her like crap? And in all actuality, Ron spoke to her worse than that git ever had. In the last two months since Sirius had returned, things had definitely not improved, in fact if anything they'd gotten worse. She sighed, collapsing into a nearby chair.

"Alright," She mumbled, "You might have a point."

"I just don't like seeing you downtrodden," he told her, sitting down next to her and putting his arm over her shoulders, "It's so unlike everything I remember of you."

"I just don't understand how it got to this point," she shrugged, "we used to be so close, and it's not as though either of us has changed all that much."

"Trying to have a baby can put a lot of pressure on a couple, love," he shrugged, "it's a huge decision and it's bound to be stressful."

"But how can I change it?" She asked, sighing, "I've tried talking to him about it more than once before but he gets defensive and it just turns into an argument. He's got such a short temper."

"I don't know, kitten," Sirius sighed, squeezing her shoulder before removing his arm from her shoulders and standing up, "I can tell you that you'll be alright though, Harry and I will always be here if you need us."

"Pinky swear?" She smirked and he frowned at her.

She rolled her eyes and stood up, taking his hand and shaping it into a fist with his pinky out and linked hers with it, while explaining the childish notion of pinky swears in the muggle world. It was nice, acting silly with him. She found herself feeling a spark of hope for her future, knowing that he and Harry would be there for her whether Ron was or not.

"Haven't we got a Christmas to get to?" He asked as he walked into the kitchen, pulling his wand and shrinking down the presents before putting them in his pocket.

"Sirius…" She sighed, "could you, I don't know, ignore any crap from Ron today? He's likely to be drunk and he's... well it turns him into an idiot, honestly."

"As long as it doesn't get physical or overly offensive, I will do my best," he told her seriously, "but I make no promises. I'm not going to stand by and watch him hurt you, alright?"

She nodded and hugged him around the waist before walking to the floo and leaving to get there first, as had been planned. The last couple of months, having Sirius back had been better than she would have thought. It seemed to her that the reduced age gap had allowed them to become much closer, having the kind of relationship with Sirius that she also had with Harry.

She knew that he cared about her, as evidenced by his honest confrontation about the state of her relationship, and it helped her to borrow strength from him and to be able to confide in him things that she couldn't even tell Harry. Sirius' hugs always left a warm feeling within her and she secretly loved his nickname for her, kitten, although she would most strenuously deny it if anyone ever asked.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

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 **December 2008**

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As expected, the Burrow was filled with noise and activity as Hermione stepped out of the floo and everyone turned to greet her. She grinned, stepping to the side as she heard the floo ignite behind her, the arrival of the until recently believed dead marauder sending most of the inhabitants into a state of shocked silence. Molly, who had no idea that Sirius had returned, looked like she might pass out at any moment and Harry had obviously seen it too, because he steered her into a chair by her shoulders.

"That's not possible," Molly whispered, "Oh gods I've lost my mind."

"Well I won't deny that, Molly, but…" he walked over to her and held her head between his hands, bending down so that their eyes were level, "I'm back."

"SIRIUS BLACK!" She screeched and the Burrow snapped out of his surprise and, at least after Molly was through with him, Sirius was besieged by a number of red heads.

Hermione stood off to one side after picking up a butterbeer, watching quietly and smiling softly as Sirius was lavished with attention from his distant cousins. It made her happy to see a youthful, truly happy smile on his face and when he looked over and winked at her, she laughed and shook her head at his flirtatiousness.

"What are you smiling at?" Ron asked, surprisingly nicely Hermione thought, and she hesitantly turned her head to smile at him, gesturing to Sirius.

"It's nice, isn't it?" She murmured, "to see him happy, I mean."

"Yeah, well I'm glad someone is." He muttered and the smile fell from Hermiones face as she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand.

"Please don't, Ron, not today. It's Christmas. Let's just have a nice day, please?" She begged quietly and he shrugged as he walked away, not even bothering to utter a response.

Hermione shook her head sadly and walked over to the back door, opening it quietly and slipping out, closing it silently behind her. She walked around the garden until she came to Arthur's shed, full of so many things that reminded her of home. Leaning against the side of it and looking out into the fields, she thought about what Sirius had said. Why was she begging Ron not to start any arguments today? Probably so she had an excuse not to admit that their relationship was effectively destroyed, she supposed and she snorted at the thought.

"What are you doing out here, 'Mione?" Asked Harry, who had just appeared around the side of the shed.

"Just thinking," she shrugged, "about why I put up with it."

"Ah," he sighed, leaning next to her and staring straight ahead, "because you love him."

"I do," she nodded before heaving a heavy sigh, "I did."

"You don't any more?" He asked, his head snapping round to look at her, "Oh Hermione, don't cry."

She brought her hand up to her face and was surprised when it came away wet with tears. How had she not even realised she was crying? She wiped her eyes and turned to Harry, preparing to admit something she had never said out loud.

"I hate the person he's turned into," she sniffed, "and I hate who I've turned into. I let him talk to me like crap because I feel guilty that I haven't fallen pregnant, and let's face it Harry, that's not me is it?"

"Not really, no," he sighed, "What are you going to do?"

"Get through today and then… figure something out, I suppose." She shrugged, hugging him around the waist before walking back towards the Burrow.

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As they had gotten older, the adults at the Burrow had started to bring their presents for people and then take it in turns to hand them out, opening that round of presents and then the next person handing theirs out and so on. They had just opened their presents from Harry, who had bought Hermione a beautiful silver watch with ruby stones instead of numbers, and now it was Ron's turn to hand out. Hermione watched, a forced smile on her face, as he handed out his presents to his parents, siblings and nieces and nephews, waiting for him to give her a gift, but it never came.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Ron asked, grinning, once he had sat back down and several people began to unwrap but those who had noticed Hermione not receive a gift frowned at him.

"Uh… aren't you forgetting someone, Ronniekins?" George asked, laughing uncomfortably and Ron shrugged.

"She won't give me what I want, so why should I get her anything?" He mumbled, just loud enough for those closest to him to hear and Hermione's jaw hung open until she felt the anger and indignation rise to dangerous levels within her.

"How dare you," she hissed, "You think I didn't want to have a baby with you? You think I've enjoyed living in misery with you for the last couple of years?"

"Ron, that was out of order mate." Harry chastised and Ron shrugged, causing Hermione to lose her temper.

It was almost like a muggle cartoon, when the main character becomes angry and they show their eye twitching as they try to keep it under wraps, before steam flies from their ears and their irises are replaced by fire. She felt the point at which her last nerve snapped and she stood up, crossed the room in two strides and slapped him as hard as she could around the face. The room fell completely silent.

"You unbelievable prick!" She shouted, not caring what day of the year it was or that she was in the company of almost the entire Weasley family, she had finally come to the end of her tether, "You belittle me, you blame me for not having children, you blame me for every little thing that goes wrong in your life and I have had enough!"

"Hermione, dear-"

"No, Molly!" She shouted, turning to the older witch whose eyes became very large as Hermione jabbed a finger towards her youngest son, "your son has made my life a living hell for over two years, from accusing me of sabotaging our attempts at conception to downright insulting me, asking if I was really a woman or not, and I cannot, no, I _will not_ take it any more."

The room remained silent as she stood there, breathing heavily as every head except one in the room turned to Ron with a mixture of shock and rage covering them. The one that remained looking at her was shining with pride, and Sirius nodded to her minutely as she turned to look at him before storming from the house, hearing the shouting start behind her. Feeling her adrenaline wear off, her knees buckled under her and she collapsed in the middle of the garden path with her face in her hands, crying for the relationship that apparently just ended.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

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 **December 2008**

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As the shouting died down inside, Hermione remained just as she had fallen in the path, not knowing what she should do now. She had just broken up with the son of the people who were supposed to be hosting her for Christmas and she knew she should leave but she had nowhere to go. Her parents were still in Australia with no idea she existed as she couldn't reverse the memory charm she cast on them before the war. Everyone else she knew was here, except the Hogwarts Professors, but she decided very quickly that showing up there would be inappropriate. She didn't hear as the door closed behind her and she jumped when she felt a motherly arm wrap around her shoulders, pulling her into a warm embrace.

"Why did you never say anything, dear?" Molly sighed as she lowered herself to the floor and Hermione shrugged.

"I didn't know how," she muttered, wiping her face, "he's your son, I didn't want you to think badly of him. It's not really his fault, it's-"

"Ron should know better than to talk to anyone less than kindly, especially a woman. Believe me I have had a very stern word with him and let him know how disgusting I find his behaviour." Molly assured and Hermione smiled up at her weakly.

"What do I do now?" She whimpered, "I've got nowhere to go! I didn't expect any of this."

"You're quite welcome to stay with us here, you know we're always happy to have you." Molly said and they both turned as the door closed again behind them.

"You can come home with me." Sirius told her and Hermione smiled up at him, nodding weakly.

"I'll get my things and then I'll see you there later, Sirius." She said, pushing herself up to go inside but Molly stopped her.

"What on earth are you talking about, dear?" She frowned and Hermione furrowed her brow.

"Well I can't really spend Christmas he-"

"I will have none of that nonsense, young lady," Molly snorted, "you are a part of this family whether you are in a relationship with Ron or not."

"I doubt he wants me here." Hermione muttered and Molly shrugged, groaning as she stood up.

"He can get off his high Hippogryff, can't he?" Molly said, squeezing her shoulder as she passed, "come in when you're ready dear."

Hermione nodded and hugged her arms around herself, feeling uncomfortable and, though not heartbroken, she was feeling very upset and empty, almost numb. Sirius walked over to her and put his hands on her upper arms, rubbing to put some warmth into her body.

"You ok?" He asked quietly and she shrugged, biting her lip as she looked up at him.

"I have no idea?" She said and he nodded, pulling her toward him.

"Come here, kitten."

She stepped forward and laid her face against his chest as his arms crept around her shoulders, holding her tightly. She inhaled and was surprised to find that the smell of him warmed her and made her feel calm. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist, clutching the back of his jacket in tight fists.

"You'll be ok," he murmured, putting a hand on the back of her head and smoothing her hair down, "I've got you."

She smiled and felt as he pulled his hands away from her and took a step back, surprised to see him holding his pinky up to her. She snorted and shook her head as she linked her finger through his, looking up at him as he smiled a new and unfamiliar smile at her, one that left her confused as he gently kissed her forehead and pulled back, gesturing for her to go in.

Pushing her confusion to the back of her mind, she took a deep breath and hesitantly walked to the back door, pushing it open and stepping inside. She narrowly avoided being hit in the face by a miniature dragon toy that Charlie had sent for one of the kids as she stepped into the living room and looked around at the happy faces of her almost family. Ron was nowhere to be seen, which helped to settle her nerves somewhat, and Harry gestured for her to come and sit next to him, showing her a pile of unopened presents that was obviously for her.

She smiled sadly as she sat next to him and received hugs from him and Ginny before beginning to open her presents. George had given her a selection box of Wonder Witch products including her favourite pimple vanisher, Bill and Fleur had got her a first edition of a book on curse breaking, Charlie had sent an adorable soft cuddly dragon for her which made her smile and from Arthur and Molly, she got the usual Weasley jumper and a few home cooked sweets. Not expecting any more gifts, she frowned at the one that was left and picked it up. Turning the tag over, she found it to be from Sirius and frowned up at him, which he returned with the same smile from the garden and a small nod.

She slowly unwrapped the paper and found a small box inside that looked like something from a jewellery store. She looked up at Sirius again and he smiled, so she opened the box and gasped, her eyes widening as far as they ever had. Inside the box was a single large teardrop ruby hanging from two vines in a v shape that blended up into a dainty silver chain. She ran her fingers gently over the beautiful necklace and looked up at Sirius gobsmacked.

"Merlin," he gasped dramatically, "I've rendered Hermione speechless, someone get me a medal!"

"You just had to ruin it, didn't you." She chuckled, shaking her head as he stood up and crossed to her, holding his hand out for the box, "Sirius, it's too much, I can't take it."

"Yeah right," he snorted, "You don't really expect me to let you deny it do you? It's a beautiful necklace for a beautiful woman."

"Sirius I-"

"Shut up and give me the box, kitten." He smirked and she rolled her eyes, slamming the box in his hand.

He walked around the back of her chair and she pulled her hair to one side, seeing the necklace come down in front of her and his hands from her peripheral vision. He pulled her hair out of the chain and she felt his fingers on the back of her neck, causing her eyelids to flutter and goosebumps to erupt down her back and she heard him chuckle as he let go of the chain and his hands fell on her shoulders. She shivered as his thumbs brushed the back of her neck and Sirius pressed a kiss to the top of her head, before removing his hands and returning to his seat as though nothing had happened.

Briefly, she wondered if she were going mad and reading far too much into simple gestures of kindness, but when she glanced over and found him staring at her, she smiled. Sirius winked before turning his head away from her and she bit her lip as she turned to Harry, actively trying to avoid staring at the man who had just made her Christmas a hundred times better.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

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 **New Year 2008/2009**

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Grimmauld Place was incredibly quiet considering it was New Years Eve, but Hermione appreciated the quiet and time to think. Sirius had gone out for the evening, to some bar or another, leaving her alone in the big house. She was just running the bath at around 11pm when she heard the front door close and frowned as she poked her head out of the bathroom door and called down the stairs.

"Sirius?" She shouted and was relieved to hear him shout back, followed by footsteps on the stairs.

"Only me, love."

"What are you doing back early?" She shouted, surprised when his head appeared at the top of the stairs.

"It was really dull," he shrugged a little sheepishly, "and I felt a bit bad for leaving you here alone."

"You didn't have to come back for me, Sirius," she told him softly, "I was just about to have a bath."

"Do you want to talk while you're in there?" He asked and she frowned, confused.

"Through the door?"

"I promise I won't look if you let me in," he shrugged, unable to look her in the eye, "I'll face away from you and everything."

She frowned as she watched him and wondered why he was here. He had gone out with the intention of finding a beautiful woman to kiss come midnight and now he was back here an hour before? It didn't make much sense, at least to her. But then again, Sirius usually made very little sense. Above all else, why was her heart beating as though she had run a marathon at the mere thought of him being in the room while she was naked? Merlin, she really was going mad. Her hand came up to fiddle with the necklace he had bought her for Christmas and she shrugged, telling him to wait until she called him in.

She shut the door and returned to the bath, turning off the taps and casting a stasis charm to keep the water at a constant temperature before dropping her robe and stepping into the water, groaning as she slid under the bubbles, making sure she was well covered by the suds.

"Sirius!" She shouted and looked over to the door to find it fall open and Sirius walking in backwards. She snorted.

"Sirius, it's fine," she laughed, "I have plenty of bubble coverage."

"You can say that again," he laughed as he turned around and looked at her, tilting his head to one side, "you're just a head floating on a cloud from my point of view!"

She laughed as he crossed the room and sat on the floor next to the bath, crossing his arms on the rim and leaning his chin on his hands. She looked up at him and frowned because he was giving her that smile again, the one he'd been giving her since christmas.

"Why do you do that?" She asked quietly and he frowned back at her.

"Do what?" He asked and she pointed to his mouth.

"That smile, it's new, I've never seen it before." She muttered and he huffed a laugh.

"I have literally no idea what you're talking about," he laughed and she sighed, giving in, "how are you feeling about everything?"

After he had given her the necklace at Christmas, Molly had called them all into the kitchen to eat dinner. What followed had been the single most uncomfortable dinner she had ever eaten, with Ron glaring at her and making snide remarks, while his own family turned on him and stood up for her. He had ended up storming out, blaming her for ruining everybodies Christmas and leaving his mum to comfort an upset Hermione. It had been truly awful and she was glad to be away from everything.

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I have moments when I feel terrible and moments when I feel like my old self, but mostly I just feel kind of…"

"Numb?" He offered and she nodded, looking over at him, "yeah i know that one."

"You do?" She asked and he nodded.

"Marlene McKinnon," he said, smiling sadly, "killed during the first war, with the rest of her family."

"You loved her?" She asked, lifting a wet hand and gently laying it on his as he snorted.

"Adored her," he grinned, "never got to find out if it was real love or infatuation, but for the brief time we were together, I was the happiest I've ever been. When she died…"

"Numb?"

"Yup," he nodded, turning his hand over and grippi g hers, "you're ok though, right?"

"I will be," she nodded, "so why did you come home? No beautiful girls to kiss?"

"Nope," he snorted, "besides, why go to the bother when there's a beautiful girl waiting at home?" He winked.

"Sirius Black you are a shameless flirt," she laughed, flicking him with water and grinning when he flinched, "who says I'd want to kiss you anyway?"

"Oh come on," he laughed, "who wouldn't want to kiss me?"

"Idiot." She grinned and he shrugged.

"If rather spend my new year at home with you, kiss or no, than with a random muggle girl." He said smiling and Hermione picked up her wand, casting a tempus charm and sighing.

"Ten minutes to go," she sighed, "what are your resolutions for next year?"

"Hmm… I'm not sure," he frowned for a moment before smiling, "I want to find my place in the world. You?"

"Similar to yours, really," she shrugged, "to rediscover myself, find something that I love to do and quit the Ministry."

"Sounds like a good plan, much more precise than mine. I don't even know where to start." He frowned and she smiled softly at him, squeezing the hand that still held hers.

"We can do it together?" She asked and he grinned.

He got up and left the room, leaving Hermione very confused in the bath and wondering what she had said before he came back with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. She grinned at him and nodded to the bottle.

"I could get used to this, you know," she murmured, taking the glass from him once he had filled it and watching as he sat down again with his eyebrow raised, "champagne, a lovely hot bath and wonderful company. I can't remember the last time I felt this relaxed."

She cast a tempus charm and found that it was 11:59. She tweaked the spell to show seconds and found that there were only 30 seconds to go. Turning to Sirius, she found him with his glass raised in a toast.

"What are we toasting to?" She asked and he grinned.

"That's obvious," he snorted, "to starting over."

She nodded, clinked her glass with his and took a sip of champagne, smiling at him when she swallowed it. He stood up and stretched, yawning.

"I'm going to go to bed." He said, turning and heading for the door.

"Where's my kiss?!" She laughed and he stopped at the door and turned round, winking at her.

"I think I'll make you wait until next year for that."

"Git." She muttered, though she couldn't help the grin that lit her face when she heard him shout back.

"I heard that!"


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

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 **February 2009**

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As Hermione pushed to door of Grimmauld Place shut behind her and slumped against it, she heard a familiar chuckle from the door into the living room and glared up at it's source. After New Year, she had become very close with Sirius and enjoyed nothing more than their evening chats while she was in the bath. It always made her smile when she thought of how bizarre that scenario actually was, but he brought her a glass of wine whenever he joined her in the bathroom and that made her very happy indeed.

"Long day, kitten?" He asked and she grunted as she stepped away from the door and shrugged her jacket off, hanging it on the hook and stepping out of her heels, wincing, "come and sit down, you can tell me about your obviously wonderful day while I massage your feet, sound good?"

"Heavenly, actually," she smiled tiredly, pushing past him and collapsing onto the couch before he lifted her feet and sat them down on his lap, digging in his thumbs.

"How's that?" He asked and she moaned.

"Oh gods, Sirius that feels amazing." She groaned, dropping her head back on the arm of the sofa, closing her eyes until she felt him shift uncomfortably and looked up to see his cheeks ever so slightly pink

"Are you uncomfortable?" She asked, gasping when he kneeded a particularly sensitive spot and he smiled, shaking his head and she sighed as she dropped her head again, "I need to quit the Ministry, Sirius."

"That bad huh?"

"Worse!" She exclaimed, "I've had my pervert boss trying to look down my shirt all day, the bitchy woman in my office deserves to be hit by the knight bus and quite frankly if one more person tells me they're sorry about me and Ron I might vomit."

"Uh… alright, let's start with your boss, can I please give him antlers like I offered weeks ago?" He grinned and she snorted.

"Maybe when I don't work there any more." She laughed.

"And what's your office companion done now?" He asked and she groaned.

"You don't want to know." She snorted.

"I do."

"No, Sirius, you don't." Hermione insisted and Sirius stopped massaging her foot so she glared at him, nudging his stomach with her toes.

"I will only carry on if you vent to me about this bint in your office." He told her with his eyebrow raised and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she snapped, throwing her arm over her face, "She keeps reminding me that if I just dressed a little sexier I might be able to keep a man, because apparently that's the reason Ron and I broke up, because I'm so damn plain!"

"You kno-"

"And then!" She exclaimed, swinging her legs off of the sofa and stomping her feet on the floor in an attempt to curb some of her rising anger, "because I was getting fed up of her being such an ignorant cow, I told her that we broke up because of the stress of trying for a baby, she apparently had the fucking cheek to tell me I was a failure as a woman!"

"Alright, alright," Sirius murmured, sitting her up and pulling her to him and only then did Hermione realise that she was crying and breathing heavily, "I've got you."

He held her, rocking slightly as she felt her breathing begin to come easier and her tears slowed. When she was calm, she felt him pull back and cup her jaw gently, wiping her tears with his thumb and she sighed.

"She's right, isn't she? I am a failure!" She sobbed and Sirius gulped audibly as he held her.

"Listen to me," he said, using both hands now to cup her jaw and force her to face him, "You are not a failure, are you listening? Whatever is preventing you from having a baby, there are things we can do."

"We?" She squeaked and she was Sirius' eyes flash with something she couldn't recognises as he shrugged.

"I told you, I'll always he here." He said quietly, and she nodded, pulling away from him and wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

She was having a bit of a problem, truth be told. She had come to know a different side to Sirius since she had moved in with him at Grimmauld Place, a gentler more attentive side that she would never have believe existed if she hadn't seen it for herself. She reminded herself that he was now technically only 7 years older than her, and wondered whether he would ever… No, no use imagining such things, it would only cause her pain.

"Don't go back to the Ministry." He said suddenly and her eyes snapped to his is her shock.

"I can't just quit my job, Sirius!" She exclaimed, "what about money? What abo-"

"You said yourself that you want to find something that you love, I've got more than enough money to support us both." He told her and she groaned.

"I wish I could, Sirius, I really do, bu-"

"Then do it!" He grinned, "let me help you while you figure out what you want to do in life!"

His hands were suddenly back on her face and she felt her eyelids flutter as his fingers moved on her skin. She looked into his eyes and found his pupils dilated, flicking between her eyes and what she thought was her lips. In a brief moment of what she could only describe as insanity, she leaned forward and pushed her lips against his, hearing him gasp before she flew away from him.

She jumped up from the sofa and backed away from him, her hand covering her mouth, shaking her head as he stood up and stared at her in shock. She saw as his hand came up and fought with a sob that came bubbling up her throat as what looked like him reaching for her turned into him dragging his hair back with his hand. What had she done?

She turned and ran from the room, pelting up the stairs as fast as she could until the reached her bedroom, throwing herself down onto the bed after locking the door. She was mortified, shocked and filled with regret for suddenly kissing him. Why did he have to be so bloody nice and lovable? That just made it harder not to love him. She needed to pull back, to put some distance between them. She would only end up heartbroken if she didn't.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

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 **March 2009**

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Considering that they lived in the same house, Hermione and Sirius saw remarkably little of each other over the next couple of weeks. On the odd occasion that they did pass each other, Sirius would remain completely silent and Hermione would glue her eyes on the floor, trying to ignore the hurt. And it really did hurt, more so than her break up with Ron, oddly enough.

She did not quit the Ministry, continuing to come in every morning, facing a day with the motor mouth bitch that shared her office and then staying late to 'finish the paperwork' AKA avoid Sirius. It wasn't until a Friday evening, when she was sitting at her desk wondering if she could go home now and still avoid the far too lovable man that she lived with, when avoiding him became impossible as he charged into her office, frantic.

"What's wrong?" She asked urgently and he shook his head.

"Two and a half weeks," he snapped, "two and a half bloody weeks since we talked and I feel like I'm going insane."

"Sorry?" She asked, frowning.

"Do you know what I did while you were at work today? What my crazy, messed up mind had me doing?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

"What?"

"I sat on the floor of the fucking bathroom, talking to myself because for some stupid reason, that felt normal," He snorted and Hermione's brow furrowed, "because talking to you, on the floor of the bathroom, that is normal to me, to us, and I bloody miss it!"

"Sirius…" Hermione sighed, "I'm sorry, ok?"

"Sorry for what? For kissing me and then running away? Or for avoiding me, rather than talking about it like an adult?" He rushed out and she shrugged.

"All of the above, I guess," she sighed, "look, I'm sorry I kissed you, ok? I was upset and you were being so… so… argh! You're just so wonderful and I misread the situation and I'm… well, I'm sorry."

"Hermione-"

"And I've been avoiding you because I didn't want to have to listen to you makes excuses for me not being good enough for you."

"But I-"

"And I've missed you, talking in the bathroom and having someone to talk to about my d-"

Suddenly, Sirius growled and leapt towards her, grabbing her face and cupping her jaw in his hands, pressing his lips against hers in a bruising kiss. She whimpered against his lips and grabbed the front of his shirt, gasping as he pulled away slightly but didn't take a step back.

"Will you please, I'm begging you, shut up and let me speak?" He breathed and she nodded with wide eyes, "I've wanted to kiss you since the day you moved in. New Years Eve I came home early because the only girl I wanted to kiss was you. I don't know why you think you're not good enough for me, but dammit Hermione, I want you."

Hermione gasped as she frantically slipped her hands up his chest and around his neck, pulling him closer and pushing her fingers into his hair as their lips collided and he shoved her against the desk, pulling he to sit on it and she moaned as his tongue brushed her lips, letting him in as his hands ran all over her clothes.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

As she glanced around her office and took in the chaos and disarray, her paperwork thrown off the desk and items of discarded clothing littering the floor and furniture, Hermione felt Sirius' chest shake with laughter against her bare back.

"Well, that was…" he trailed off breathlessly and Hermione turned her head to look at him.

"Unexpected?' She offered and he nodded.

"I was going for 'incredible', but yours works too." He grinned.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked shyly, leaning forward to pick up her bra and putting it on before turning to face him.

"Of course." He nodded and Hermione sighed.

"What is this?" She asked, gesturing between them and he snorted and grabbed her gesturing hand, kissing each fingertip before speaking

"It's either the start of something amazing," he murmured, kissing her palm, "or a disaster waiting to happen. I'm willing to find out if you are?"

"A relationship? Or just sex? Because I'll be honest and inform you that I've always viewed sex as something highly emotional and I don't want to fall in love with y-"

"Hermione!" He gasped, putting his hand on her mouth and she glared at him as he chuckled, "did I or did I not tell you that today I sat on the floor of a bathroom talking to myself and pretending you were there?"

"Well yeah, bu-"

"This is so much more than sex, kitten," he murmured, pulling his hand away and kissing her gently, "I'm talking about a full on, talking of the future relationship that involves arguments about who used the last of the bloody butter and you stealing the covers from me in the middle of the night. I can feel myself falling for you, crazy witch. What do you say?"

"Ok." She nodded, grinning and Sirius whooped and pulled her into his lap.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Hermione was amazed by the change in Sirius at home that night, it was like the Christmas of their fifth year when he could be heard throughout the house singing God Bless Ye Merry Hippogryffs, except now he was humming love songs. She shook her head as she watched him from the doorway of the kitchen, chuckling as he literally danced around the room, freezing when he spotted her and she watched as his eyes travelled slowly up and down her body.

"I'm not ashamed to admit that my shirts look better on you than they do on me," he murmured, walking to her and slipping a hand under the shirt and grabbing her bum, finding that she was wearing no underwear and groaning, "you're trying to kill me, woman."

"Get your paws off me, Padfoot," she chuckled, slapping his hands away, "I'm starving."

"Dinner will be ready in five minutes," He smiled, "until then…"

Hermione yelped in shock as he suddenly swept her up and dragged her dancing around the kitchen with him. She couldn't help but laugh when he an spun her away from him and back again, tipping her backwards and kissing her. He seemed so incredibly youthful right now, and Hermione was glad that it had something to do with her.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

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 **March 2009**

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With no reason to go back to the Ministry, at least now that she wasn't avoiding Sirius any more, Hermione didn't go back to work. Sirius had told her that while she was trying to find something she loved, he would support her both emotionally and financially, which left her feeling guilty but also incredibly thankful.

They had decided to keep the new development of their relationship secret for a few weeks, hoping to settle into their new roles as a couple before inviting anyone else to complicate things. Hermione enjoyed nothing more than curling up with him on the couch, reading a book while he sat in a comfortable silence. It was surprisingly calm in the house and, of course, Sirius once again joined Hermione in the bathroom when she took a long soak, although his position within the room soon changed.

"What are you doing?" Hermione squeaked as Sirius began to unbutton his trousers.

"If you think I'm going to sit in the floor while you're all naked and lovely in there," Sirius chuckled, pointing at the bath where she was submerged under the water, "you've got another thing coming."

"That's mighty presumptuous of you," she grinned, rolling her eyes and shifting forward while she watched him undress, "What if I don't want your filthy self in my bath?"

"Filthy?" He gasped mockingly, holding his hand to his forehead, "I'm hurt, kitten. You know I'm only filthy in bed."

Hermione laughed as he slipped into the water behind her and pulled her back against his chest once he was settled. They spent over an hour in the water together, using the excuse to run soapy hands over one another's bodies and as they stepped out, wrapping towels around their bodies to prevent a chill, Hermione had to admit it was one of her most enjoyable baths.

Tonight, Harry and Ginny were coming for dinner and they would be the first people to learn of their newly romantic connection. Ginny wouldn't be a problem, Hermione knew, because as teenagers they had often stayed awake late into the night discussing how good looking the former Azkaban inmate was, as well as a number of other slightly older wizards, so she would most likely only ask something terribly embarrassing. Harry on the other hand...

His potential reaction worried her. There were any number of ways he could take the news, but the two most likely reactions were, unfortunately, polar opposites. She could see him either being happy and incredibly supportive of their relationship, or uneasy and uncomfortable with it. She was desperately hoping for the first, distracted as she laid the table, when Sirius' arms slipped around her from behind.

"Don't do that!" She gasped, turning in his arms to face him and he frowned when they came face to face.

"You're worried." He said simply and she sighed, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"Of course I'm worried, Sirius!" She sighed, "Ginny will probably just ask if you're as good a kisser as we always suspected-"

"Oh really now?" Sirius smirked, raising his eyebrow.

"Shut up, you prat," she chuckled, slapping him lightly on the chest, "what if Harry hates this?"

"He won't," Sirius shrugged, "even if he thinks it's a bit odd, once he sees how happy we are then he'll soon get over it."

"I hope you're right." She sighed, tilting her head up and kissing him.

Distracted by the feel of his tongue against hers, Hermione completely lost track of time and neither if them heard as the floo went off. They pulled apart very suddenly at the sound of a gasp from the kitchen doorway, turning their heads to find Harry staring at them, his jaw slack, with his wife grinning at his side.

"Well!" Ginny chuckled, "definitely wasn't expecting entertainment with dinner!"

"You two?" Harry asked, frowning and pointing between them, causing Hermione to groan and hide her face in Sirius chest as he laughed.

"Yes, pup," she heard him laugh, "is that going to be a problem?"

Hermione looked up when she felt Sirius move away from her and followed his movement with her eyes as he crossed to embrace a, surprisingly very happy, Harry. Once Sirius let him go, he crossed to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Are you both happy?" He asked once he'd pulled away and Sirius nodded, grinning.

"Happier than I've been in a long time." She smiled and Harry nodded.

"That's all that matters then, isn't it?" He asked and Hermione grinned over at Sirius, "I mean, at least he's only 7 years older than us now."

"Probably would have been a bit weirder if he was almost fifty, Harry." Ginny laughed.

"I don't know, Gin, we did used to discuss how g-"

"Shut up!" Ginny hissed, covering Hermione's mouth as her face turned beet red, "Harry does not need to know-"

"That you had a crush on my godfather?" Harry laughed, "seriously Gin, everyone knew."

"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed, "no-one told me!"

Hermione laughed as he turned to wink at Ginny who groaned loudly as she dropped her face into her hands before walking from the room muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'arseholes' under hear breath. Hermione laughed when she came back ten minutes later and her face was still tomato coloured.

As the evening wore on, the two couples ate dinner as they chatted happily about what they had all been getting upto. Harry, seeing as he worked at the Ministry as an Auror, already knew that she had quit her job and had informed Ginny, who shrugged and told Hermione that it came as no surprise to her whatsoever.

Conversation flowed from one topic to another and soon the Potters were telling Hermione and Sirius of what their children had been doing and all of their milestones. Sirius smiled, but as he watched Hermione he could tell that her happy expression was forced as her eyes were dull, and he resolved to talk to her about her fertility worries once the other couple had gone home.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

It wasn't until they were in the bath together much later that evening that Sirius found the opportunity to raise the subject. As he rubbed her neck and shoulders, soothing her stress from worrying over Harry's reaction to their relationship, he took a deep breath and dove straight into it.

"I think you should go for some fertility tests."

"Sirius!" Hermione gasped, pulling away from him and turning to face him, though it was not without difficulty in the tub, "what on earth?"

"I saw in your eyes how much it effected you, when Harry and Ginny were telling us about their kids," he said as he pushed some hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, "I just think you need to know what's going on."

"Do you want children? One day, I mean?" She added at his widened eyes and he shrugged.

"Honestly?" He asked and she nodded, "I've never thought about it. I always assumed I'd make a disastrous father so it's never been all that important to me."

"So if I couldn't…"

"I'm not Ron, Hermione," Sirius sighed, "I'm not going to base any future relationship we may have on your ability to conceive. If the issue arose and it couldn't happen naturally, there's adoption or-"

"Thank you." Hermione whispered, her eyes watering as her hand came up to cover his mouth, "I'll set up the appointment on one condition. That you come with me."

"You realise if we show up holding hands in St Mungo's, waiting outside the fertility clinic, the rumours will reach Timbuktoo before we walk out again, right?" He chuckled and Hermione shrugged.

"I don't care," she smiled, "I'm not ashamed of us, Sirius."

"Ok," he grinned, looking between her eyes as she leaned her forehead against his, "set up the appointment, I'll be right there with you."


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

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 **April 2009**

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The rumours and whispers about their apparent relationship didn't even wait until they were out of the room, as Hermione heard the receptionist whispering urgently to her colleague and when she looked up, she notice that the woman was pointing at them. Sirius chuckled as Hermione turned to him with her eyebrow raised and pulled her towards him, kissing her mouth. They broke apart and grinned as they heard the receptionist gasp and, ridiculously, squeal as Sirius turned to wink at her. Thankfully, it was at this point that Hermione was called through for her appointment.

"What can I do for you today, Miss Granger?" The young woman behind the desk asked and Hermione sighed as she leaned forward, feeling Sirius' supportive hand on her lower back.

"Hermione, please," she smiled and the healer nodded as Hermione continued, "well, I tried to fall pregnant for over two years with my previous partner and nothing happened. He was tested and everything was normal, so I'm assuming the problem falls with me, and I'm wondering if you could find out what's wrong with me?"

"There is nothing wrong with you, Hermione, I can tell you that much for starters," the healer smiled and Sirius nodded his agreement, "we can run some tests, blood tests and diagnosis spells, to find out if the problem is a medical one with you."

"If? It must be, mustn't it?" Hermione said and the healer shook her head.

"Sometimes it just doesn't happen, I've known people to try for almost a decade before they fall pregnant even though there was no discernable reason for it." She shrugged and Hermione nodded, though frowning.

"If you'd like to lay down on the bed, we'll get our tests done and then we can discuss when you can come in for results." The woman smiled.

Hermione nodded and crossed the room before she hopped up on the bed, gesturing desperately for Sirius to come and sit next to her and holding her hand out for him. He sighed as he moved his chair and took her hand with one of his, his other coming up to stroke her hair. Hermione watched as the healer gave them a soft smile before standing at the end of the bed and looking down to them.

"We need to take some blood to run some tests first," she smiled, "personally, I find the muggle way much easier, provided you're okay with needles?"

"Yes," Hermione nodded, happy to see someone in the wizarding world using muggle techniques, "Are you muggleborn?"

"I am," she said, poking the needle into Hermiones arm, causing her to wince, "I've never been fond of the magical way to take a blood sample. Something about seeing the blood come out of the body so inexplicably…"

"I know what you mean," Hermione chuckled as the healer shuddered, "I've always wondered why more healers don't adopt muggle methods in medicine."

"Old reservations, I'm afraid," the other woman sighed, pulling the vial of blood from her arm and pushing some cotton wool over the needle as she pulled it out, "all done, now I just need to perform some spells. If you could lay perfectly still for me, your stomach might feel a little warm, but there shouldn't be any pain."

Hermione nodded and watched as the healer pulled her wand from her pocket, waving it above Hermione's stomach and moving it in intricate patterns. She tried to relax as she felt the warming she had been warned of and turned her head to find Sirius smiling softly at her as he squeezed her hand.

Once the woman was done, she smiled and invited Hermione to move herself back over to the chair by her desk, saying she would be back in just a second. Hermione frowned as she watched the woman leave the room and turned to Sirius, who shrugged as he set his chair back down next to her and put his arm over her shoulders. The healer came back a couple of minutes later, carrying a vial.

"This is a potion to heal the scarring to your womb," she said and Hermione gasped, "oh, I'm so sorry, I thought you were aware of that."

"Aware…" Hermione trailed off and felt Sirius squeeze her shoulder as he turned to the healer.

"What scarring?" He asked and the healer sighed.

"It may or may not be the cause of Hermione's issues with falling pregnant," she said gently, turning to Hermione as the latter cleared her throat, "Of that we're not entirely sure, at least until we get the test results back, but can I ask if you've suffered any… torture at any point?"

"Yes," Hermione croaked, clearing her throat and feeling Sirius go stiff beside her, "during the war. Um… Cruciatus."

"Extended exposure?" The healer asked and she nodded.

"Half an hour? Perhaps 45 minutes? I'm not entirely sure." Hermione muttered, heading Sirius groan beside her and wondering if he didn't already know about this.

"I see," the healer sighed, leaning forward over the desk and pushing the vial towards her, "You have the choice to stay in overnight and take this, or to take it at home. The choice is left to you, but it will be highly painful, so I would recommend staying in unless you have a good supply of pain relieving potions at home."

"Sirius?" She asked and he shook his head, blinking a few times as he looked at her, "how is our stock of potions?"

"Good enough," he nodded, "I can take care of you if you want to take the potion at home."

"I'll take it home, please," she said as she turned back to the healer, "how does it work?"

"It's basically an accelerated and massively exaggerated period. Its a cell regeneration draught, specifically tailored to aim at the cells of a womans repoductive organs. The entire womb will be regenerated within twelve hours. There's no bleeding, as the potion takes care of that, but the pain is still there."

"And the pain is similar to period pain?" Hermione asked and the woman nodded.

"Although it is concentrated and severe, so I would recommend taking a pain potion every three hours and doing all the things that would usually help to ease menstrual cramps. Hot baths, warming charms and massage have all proved useful to previous users." The healer informed and Hermione nodded, keeping a mental note.

Hermione thanked the healer and made an appointment for the next week to come and get her results, promising that if anything was to happen that was untoward or she couldn't handle the pain overnight then she would come to St Mungo's. Sirius pocketed the potion and took her hand as they left the hospital in silence, both dreading the night to come.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

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 **April 2009**

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Hermione took the potion at around 9 o'clock that night as she lay with Sirius on the couch, a book in hand and pain potions within easy reach. Sirius had promised not to leave her overnight, meaning it would be the first time since their relationship changed that they would actually sleep in the same bed. As odd as it may seem, Hermione had always insisted on keeping their seperate rooms, at least until they were further into their relationship, but tonight Sirius had point blank refused and she was glad of it, not wanting to be in pain alone.

She felt the effects of the potion within the first hour as her body instinctively curled in on itself and she ended up in the foetal position on the couch, her eyes watering and face screwed up from the pain. Sirius, as wonderfully perceptive and patient as ever, had merely massaged her back and given her a pain potion as he watched over her.

"Sirius?" She gasped suddenly and he snapped his attention to her, looking worried, "can you run me a bath? A hot one?"

"Of course," he smiled softly, "want me to carry you up?"

"You don't have to do that," she said, wincing, "I can manage."

"I know you can, but let me look after you, kitten," he murmured, standing up and bending to scoop her up, "arms around my neck, love."

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as Sirius carried her upstairs, sitting her on the closed lid of the toilet, running the bath and telling her to get undressed before disappearing from the room. He came back a couple of minutes later when Hermione was completely undressed, carrying one of his old band t-shirts and a pair of his boxers.

"What's that for?" She asked, a small smile on her face and he shrugged.

"I've been around enough women in my lifetime to know that comfy clothes are an absolute must during that time of the month," he said, casting a stasis charm on the bath water before scooping her up and lowering her into the water, smiling as she groaned in relief and sitting himself down next to the bath, "so you have the privilege of using my comfort clothes."

"Thank you, Sirius," she sighed, raising a hand and running it through his hair, "aren't you getting in?"

"This one's just for you, love," Sirius smiled, taking her hand from his head and kissing her palm, "I'm just here to provide conversation and something pretty to look at."

"Git," she snorted, "I honestly never knew you had this other side to you."

"Neither did I," he grinned, "something about you brings out this insane caring streak in me."

"It's not insane, Sirius," she laughed, "I love this side of you."

"And the other side?" He smirked, raising his eyebrow as she winced, gently lowering his hand into the water and rubbing her stomach in a soothing circular pattern.

"I love all of your sides, Sirius," she sighed, his massaging fingers soothing her pain quite effectively, "I'm falling in love with you, did you know that?"

"I assumed, to be honest," he shrugged, "I feel the same."

She smiled at him and put her hand into his, the one that was resting on the rim of the bath, as they lapsed into a peaceful silence, neither feeling the need to fill it. Her womb was indeed incredibly painful, as expected, but somehow with Sirius here she felt more able to tolerate it. One thing was for sure, though. It would be a very restless night for them both.

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A week later, Hermione and Sirius were back in the healers office to receive the results of her tests. Hermione's knee was bouncing nervously as the healer read through her paperwork and she felt Sirius put his hand on her knee and looked over at him to see him smiling softly at her.

"I have both good news and bad," the healer said suddenly, causing Hermione to whip her head around and frown at her, "the bad news first? Alright, well it appears that your main issue, other than the scarring which you already took the potion for, has been hormonal."

"What does that mean?" Sirius asked and the healer smiled.

"It means that Hermione's body isn't producing the needed amount of hormones to enable her to conceive." She said gently and Hermione gasped, causing the healer to look at her.

"However, there are potions you can take that will force the production of these hormones, should you wish to try for a baby," she said, smiling at Hermione whose eyes widened as she dug her nails painfully into Sirius' hand, "as long as you take the potion throughout pregnancy, you should be able to have children, Hermione."

Hermione didn't fight the tears as they welled up in her eyes, covering her face with her hands as she began to sob, overwhelmed by both relief and shock. It had been such a simple solution, all of this time, and she briefly thought that if she'd come for tests earlier, she might have a baby right now, but then realised that if that had happened, she wouldn't have Sirius. It was strange how life worked out.

"Hermione?" Sirius said gently and she felt his hands come to hers and pull them from her face, "Are you ok?"

"Yes," she gasped, taking a deep breath, "I'm shocked, relieved and overwhelmed, but I'm ok."

"Do you have any questions, Hermione?" The healer asked and Hermione turned to her, wiping her face.

"This potion, do I need to take it before we start trying?" She head Sirius choke next to her and smirked over at him, "if we start trying."

"It takes about a month before the potion builds up in your system," the healer said, chuckling, "so just make an appointment to see me when OR if you've made a decision and we'll get you all set up."

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Sirius was quiet for the remainder of the afternoon and evening, to the point that Hermione actually began to feel guilty about being happy. Eventually, when she could no longer ignore the strange atmosphere, she cornered him after his shower and locked them both in the bathroom.

"Why the bloody hell are you being so weird, Sirius?" She demanded and he sighed, closing the lid of the toilet before sitting down with his elbows on his towel covered knees.

"I'm trying to imagine life as a father." He sighed quietly and Hermione gasped, crossing the room and kneeling in front of him.

"And?"

"And it's strange, difficult, complicated and I can't help dreading that I might turn out like my own father," he said, sadly and Hermione frowned, pushing his wet hair from his face, "but for the first time in my life, it doesn't absolutely terrify me."

"Oh," she gasped, "isn't that…. Isn't that a good thing?"

"I have no idea!" He laughed, throwing his hands out to the sides, "and that alone is scaring me."

Hermione sighed and lifted herself up until they were the same height and put her arms around his neck, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"I'm not going to tell you I don't want children, Sirius," she whispered, before pulling back and looking into his eyes, "but if or when the time comes, it's a decision we make together. I won't force you to have a baby with me, definitely not for a couple of years at the least."

"I can't ask you to give up on wanting kids for me, kitten," he sighed sadly, "I just don't know what kind of father I'd make."

"We'll never know if we don't try," she shrugged, "you have Harry's kids to test your skills on."

"Are you sure you want to be with me, Hermione?" He asked and Hermione had to swallow a lump in her throat at the look of sadness in his eyes.

"You really think I wouldn't?" She asked, frowning.

"You know what the problem is now," he sighed, "you could work things out with Ron, or find someone who is sure that they want children one say or-"

"Will you shut up, you prat?" Hermione snapped, looking angry as she covered his mouth with her hand, "I'm here, with you, because it's where I want to be. I don't want to be with Ron or anyone else. Just you. For crying out loud Sirius, I love you!"

His eyes widened and she felt his jaw go slack under her hand at what she had just all but shouted at him. She now understood his worries, that she would want a baby and if he didn't it would tear them apart but she had been living without a baby this long and it wasn't as if her adopted family was short of children for her to dote on.

"Whether you want kids in the future or not, it is a decision we make together, Sirius. Are you listening? Me and you, Hermione and Sirius. Not Hermione and Tom, Dick or Harry. You." She said sharply and he nodded, so she dropped her hand and sighed, "I love you, idiot."

"You're sure?" He asked and Hermione screamed before she felt her lips on hers, grinning against her mouth, "I'm joking!"

"Git."

"I love you too." He whispered and she growled as she pushed her lips against his.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER** **ELEVEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **June 2009**

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For the first time since her break up with Ron and the beginning a relationship with Sirius, the couple found themselves sitting in the garden at the Burrow, surrounded by redheads. It was James' birthday and Arthur had insisted upon trying to have a barbecue, the muggle way. It had all gone up in flames about an hour ago, much to everybodies amusement bar Molly's, who had shrieked in frustration before storming off into the Burrow kitchen to knock something up. Hermione had tried to go and help but all it took was one glare from Molly to let her know that the kitchen was a no go zone.

The family had all reacted well to their new relationship, with Molly surprising them when she said it was 'about time you two banged your heads together', but one member of the family had yet to arrive and Hermione sat on the grass with the birthday boy as Sirius shuffled in next to her and kissed her softly, just as a shout came from the other end of the garden.

"I think Ron might have arrived," she muttered and Sirius grabbed her hand for support, intertwining their fingers as her angry ex stomped over and she turned to James, "why don't you go and see how Grandma is doing with that food, ok love?"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Ron snarled as the little boy nodded and ran off, "you and him?"

"Ron, calm down!" She hissed, glaring at him, "there are kids around, watch your language."

"Yeah, everyone's kids but mine," he growled, "all because I wasted my time with you and your broken body!"

Sirius suddenly shot up and pushed Ron hard in the chest, just as Harry came running over to see what the commotion was about. Seeing what was going on, he stepped between his best friend and godfather as Hermione stood up and grabbed Sirius arm to pull him back.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Ron," she snapped, "I've had tests, I know what the problem is and it can be fixed!"

"Oh and what was the problem, hmm? Too obsessed with work to manage something as simple as having a kid?" Ron hissed and Sirius snorted.

"You realise that I was tortured with the Cruciatus curse in the war, hmm? You were there, Ron, or had you completely forgotten about that?" She yelled, losing her temper as Sirius growled. She hadn't had the chance to sit him down and tell him the whole story yet, so he didn't know what she meant by Ron being there.

"What has that got to do with anything?" Ron snorted and Harry gasped, turning to her.

"Scarring?" He asked.

"Yes," she nodded at him before turning back to Ron, "my womb was scarred, Ron. If you want to blame anyone for us not having a child, blame the woman that tortured me! Come on, Sirius."

She dragged Sirius away and into the house as she heard Ron and Harry begin to argue behind her, ignoring it as she tugged Sirius into the living room and shoved him down on to the sofa before she began pacing, trying to calm her stress and anger.

"Hermione?" Came Arthur's voice from the doorway and they both turned to see him looking concerned, "everything alright?"

"I'll be fine, Arthur, thank you." She said, smiling gently but Sirius scoffed.

"You need to have serious words with your youngest son, Arthur," he sighed, grabbing Hermione's hand as she passed him and pulling her down, hugging her, "he needs to know when to keep his mouth shut."

"I plan to, don't worry Sirius," he nodded, sitting on the arm of the sofa, putting a fatherly hand on Hermione's shoulder and she turned to him, "I heard the reason you gave. I'm sorry that you had to go through that, dear."

"It's fixed now," she shrugged, "it wasn't the only reason but Ron doesn't need to know everything about me. Not any more, anyway."

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Poor Harry spent the rest of the afternoon keeping Hermione and Ron apart and she felt terribly guilty for it, as he was missing out on spending James' birthday celebrating with him, but he just waved off her apologies whenever she mentioned how bad she felt.

The party was the first time that Sirius had been in the company of any children for a long period of time and Hermione watched him closely. He was currently sitting on the grass telling a story, four children before him completely enraptured by whatever he was saying and as he looked up, she caught his eye and he winked at her. She grinned and nodded, reassuring him that he was doing well, before turning back to Ginny.

"How are things going?" The redhead asked and Hermione nodded.

"It's been great," she smiled, "we had one moment of him doubting a future together, but I put a stop to that."

"Doubting the future?" Ginny frowned and Hermione shrugged.

"He said he didn't know if he wanted children, because he doesn't think he'd be a good father, but I mean," she pointed over to where he was now tickling Albus to within an inch of his life while James and Victoire jumped all over his back, "look at him! There's no way he wouldn't be a good dad."

"He does look like a natural," Ginny grinned, turning back to Hermione, "can you see yourself having kids with him?"

In all honesty, Hermione had spent some time imagining what their children would look like, probably white stupidly. In her head she saw a little girl with his black hair colour but her curls, her dad's grey eyes and her pouty lips. It was an adorable image, but it was one that she tried to discourage herself from viewing, just in case he decided he didn't want children.

"Not yet," she shrugged, "one day, perhaps, if we decide it's right for both of us. But I'd be happy without."

"You sure about that?" Ginny asked and Hermione shrugged.

"Look around you, Gin," she chuckled, "there's not exactly a shortage of children in this family."

"True," Ginny laughed, just as Albus came running into her and laughing about 'uncle Sirius', "seems he's good with them though."

Sirius was the center of the children's attention for the rest of the afternoon, being chased by unruly toddlers before transforming into Padfoot, much to Molly's annoyance, and bounding after them, slobbering all over them when they ran out of steam. It was lovely to see him having so much fun and when they got into bed that night, Sirius was snoring within three minutes of putting his head down. Hermione followed not long after, falling asleep with a happy smile.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **July 2009**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

At Sirius' insistence, Harry dropped his three children off at Grimmauld Place on the afternoon of his birthday, as his godfather had insisted he needed an evening with his wife, without the kids around, and he could consider his babysitting them as a birthday present. Hermione was surprised when he had told her of his plans, but over the last month he had been spending quite a lot of time with the Potter and Weasley children, for some reason, and she adored them so she didn't mind them being with them for the night.

"Who wants pancakes for dinner?!" Sirius shouted once Harry had disappeared from the floo and Hermione rolled her eyes as the three kids sang out with a chorus of

"Me, me, me!"

"You can only eat them if you help make them!" He grinned and laughed as all three of them ran into the kitchen eagerly, nearly knocking Hermione over as she waited in the doorway for him.

"You realise that they're going to destroy the kitchen, right?" She laughed and he shrugged, waving his wand in her face as he threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to the kitchen.

"Magic, love!" He grinned, "nothing that can't be fixed."

She snorted as he let go of her and shook her head as she watched him scoop Lily up, who had been struggling to climb up into one of the dining chairs and plonked her down on the tabletop. She sat at the table, watching as he entertained them by making bowls and ingredients float across the kitchen towards them as the children watched happily.

He really was good with them, as she watched him mixing the ingredients and slowly getting covered in flour and egg it made her heart swell with pride. Part of her was aware that he was testing himself, but she hoped he realised that she didn't need this from him. She was happy just to love him and as long as she had that, it would be enough.

"Auntie mionee?" Came a voice and she turned to find Lily pulling on her skirt.

"Yes sweetheart?" She asked as she picked the little girl up, putting her down in her lap, "what's up?"

"Uncle Siroos," Hermione snorted at the little girls pronunciation, "said you look sad."

Hermione looked up with a frown aimed at Sirius, who obviously felt her stare because he turned around and smiled softly at her, his eyes shining and she rolled her eyes before grinning back and turning to the little girl.

"What would you like to do?" She asked and the little girl stuck her tongue out in thought.

"Can we do some colouring?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed, "run into the living room and there's some paper and pens on the bookshelf."

She put the little girl down and smiled as she ran off to get the supplies before turning to find Sirius stood behind her. She watched as he crouched down in front of her and grinned up at her. He was acting strangely and she frowned before speaking, reaching out and putting her hand on his cheek.

"What are you thinking Sirius?" She asked and he chuckled as he pressed a light kiss to her hand.

"That I perhaps wouldn't mind this one day," He smiled and she rose her eyebrow in question, Sirius sighed, "a family. With you."

"Really?" She gasped, her eyes widened and he nodded, laughing when she launched herself at him and knocked him to the floor, landing roughly on top of him.

"Bloody hell, love," he groaned, still chuckling, "how much do you weigh!"

"Oh shut up you prat," she grinned, kissing him.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Once the kids were safely settled in their beds and fast asleep after a bedtime story of three, Sirius and Hermione collapsed into their own bed, exhausted after their afternoon of babysitting the three excitable children.

"So what do you think?" Sirius asked, his head propped up on his hand, his other trailing a finger over her stomach as he hovered over her.

"About what?" She yawned and Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Us having a family." He said simply and Hermione found herself feeling suddenly wide awake as she looked up at him.

"One day? Or…" she trailed off, confused.

"Well," he said, his fingers trailing lower and dipping under the waistband of her sleep shorts, "it takes a month for the potion to work, then it could take months for it to happen so…"

"So..?"

"So..." He paused, kissing her shoulder, mumbling against her skin, "why not start now?"

"Sirius…" she sighed.

The mere thought of trying for a baby scared her. Not because she didn't want a child, or even because she didn't want Sirius' child, but because it was that very thing that cost her the relationship with Ron. Before the thought of trying for children entered their minds, they had been perfectly happy and then…

"Look at me," Sirius muttered, his hand coming up to her jaw and forcing her to turn her head and meet his gaze, "if you don't want to, or you want to wait, that's fine. I'm not going to pressure you. But you need to remember that I am not Ron. I would never blame you if it didn't happen, or hold it against you. I love you and you alone are enough for me."

"I just don't want anything to push us apart," she whimpered, sniffling, "I don't want you to end up resenting me too."

"I never could," he sighed, "I'm happy with you, just you, either way. Is that the only thing holding you back? You're scared of it ruining us?"

"Well, yeah," she sniffed, "it already cost me one relationship."

"I promise you, Hermione, that nothing will risk the end of us, not unless you want it to." He said seriously and she nodded, wiping her eyes and laughing breathily.

"Ok." She nodded.

"Ok?" He asked, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"I'll make the appointment, but only if-"

"I come with you, obviously," He laughed, rolling so that he was on top of her and resting his forehead on hers, "well, you know what they say, practice makes perfect".

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling home down to kiss him as his hands were supporting his weight on either side of her. She gasped when he rocked his hips, pushing against her and Hermione, feeling confident pushed herself into a sitting position, taking him with her. She told him to cross his legs under her and when he had, she held onto his shoulders and lowered herself slowly onto him, grinning when he groaned loudly and his nails dug into her back.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **August 2009**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

"You need to understand that this potion cannot guarantee you will fall pregnant," the healer said and Hermione nodded, squeezing Sirius' hand, "there is s fertility potion you can take to improve the chances of conception, but it brings with it the increased risks of multiples."

"Multiples?" Sirius asked and the healer nodded.

"I've seen people who have taken the potion have anything from one to six babies in one pregnancy." She supplied and Hermione gawped at her.

"Bloody hell!' She exclaimed and both the healer and Sirius snorted, "six babies? Could she even move by the end?!"

"Barely," the healer chuckled, "She was on bedrest for the latter stages of pregnancy and all the babies were relatively small, so it wasn't too bad. Of course if you would like that potion then I would be happy to provide it."

Hermione blinked and turned to Sirius who smiled at her as she shrugged as though it didn't matter either way. She bit her lip and massaged her temples as she tried to think. More than one baby wouldn't be too bad, she supposed, provided she didn't have six! She sighed as she turned to the healer.

"How does it work?" She asked and the healer nodded, handing a sheet of parchment full of instructions to Hermione.

"You take it just before sex and it thickens the womb lining, meaning that the egg has more to latch onto. It also protects the sperm and helps to ensure it survives for longer, increasing the possibility of conception. Again, it's not guaranteed, but it does highly improve your chances." She explained and Hermione looked at Sirius who shrugged again and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I need your opinion here, Sirius." She sighed and he chuckled.

"The decision is yours, love, I wouldn't mind more than one baby, although six is excessive," he said and the healer snorted, nodding, "but I leave the decision to you, it's your body after all."

"I'll take it home and we can use it if we want to, right?" She asked the healer, who nodded.

"It has a shelf life of a year and you only need a tiny amount each time, all of the instructions are here," she said, pointing at the piece of parchment, "Of course you could try without for a few months and then take it if you've had no luck. The choice is yours."

"Ok, we'll do that," Hermione said, smiling at Sirius who nodded, "so I take this hormone potion every morning and then in a month…"

"In a month you will be ready to start trying, although I've known witches to fall pregnant during that month, but that is unlikely." The healer smiled and Hermione nodded.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

The potion was absolutely vile. It tasted like vomit and Hermione found the only way she could manage to take it was by having a sweet biscuit to shove into her mouth as soon as she swallowed to take the taste away. Sirius laughed every morning when she took it and she glared at him every morning as she chewed her chocolate bourbon. It was a strange new morning routine they found themselves with.

After a couple of weeks, Hermione found herself suffering with night sweats and Sirius found her in the early hours of the morning one night having a cold shower, half asleep as she stood in the cubicle, leaning against the tiles.

"Uh… are you ok?" He asked and she nodded tiredly.

"Hormones," she muttered, "I think I'm having what menopausal women would describe as a hot flush."

"Oh dear," he sighed, and Hermione watched confused as he undressed and stepped in with her, hissing under the cold water.

"What are you doing?" She asked sharply and he laughed.

"You can barely stand, so I'm going to hold you up." He shrugged, slipping his arms under hers and supporting her.

"Why? You don't have to do this."

"Because I love you and I can't sleep without you next to me anyway." He grumbled and Hermione snorted.

"That was almost sickeningly sweet, Sirius," she laughed, turning her body and tucking herself into his chest, "who are you and what have you done with my…"

"Your?"

"I almost said husband," Hermione snorted, "it's something my mum used to say to my dad whenever he did something nice for her."

Hermione smiled as she remembered the little good natured bickering sessions her parents used to have. Hermione had always thought it strange, that they could poke fun at each other so easily and without anyone's feelings getting hurt. She had never understood, especially when she was with Ron, as any arguments she had with him ended up being just plain hurtful. But since being with Sirius… She could understand.

"Husband, huh?" He laughed, "that's something I never thought I'd hear."

"You never thought you'd get married?" She asked, sighing now that she was cooled down and turning the water off, stepping out and passing him a towel before wrapping one around herself.

"Never thought I'd find someone willing to put up with me, honestly," he laughed as he dragged her back to their bed, "seems I've met my match, though."

"Hmmm, perhaps," she grinned, "but now your match needs to sleep."

She pulled him into bed and curled herself around him, her head on his shoulder and her arm and leg thrown over him as he wrapped his arms around her. They had fallen asleep like this every night since she had taken the potion for her scarring.

After that night, she had found it impossible to sleep on her own and had stomped into his room the next night, growling that he had ruined her before crawling into bed next to him and clutching his body to hers, promptly falling straight to sleep. Even though she hadn't got any sleep at all until 4am, she had woken up with him feeling totally refreshed and they had moved her into his room the next day, making it theirs.

She had been slowly adding her own touches throughout Grimmauld Place and it was slowly beginning to feel more like their joint home instead of his, where she was staying. Sirius didn't grumble when he came home for find throw cushions on his couch or a fluffy blanket on their bed. He seemed to enjoy these cosy touches just as much as she did.

"Sweet dreams, wife." He grinned and Hermione gasped.

"Wife?"

"Just testing." He shrugged, chuckling.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **August 2009**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Despite the fact that she had quit her job more than six months ago, Hermione was no closer to finding something that she loved to base a career on. It was starting to get her down and she also felt guilty for using Sirius' funds during her unemployment. It was for these reasons that she found herself surrounded by recent issues of the Daily Prophet as she sat in the middle of the floor in the library.

"What exactly are you doing?" Sirius snorted as he stood at the edge of her ordered chaos.

"I'm looking for a job," she muttered, throwing down yet another useless employment page, "but there is literally nothing interesting out there!"

"There must be something," he frowned, pushing aside a newspaper with his foot and sitting down in the space it created, "have you contacted McGonagall?"

"Why would I contact McGonagall?" She frowned and Sirius shrugged as he crossed his legs straight out in front of him, leaning back on his hands.

"I always thought you'd be a brilliant teacher," he smirked, "all bossy and with a knack for leadership."

"I'm not bossy," she muttered and Sirius snorted, bringing a smile to her face, "alright, maybe I am, but only when you need guidance."

"Precisely!" He grinned, "which is why you'd make a good professor."

"Hmm…" Hermione hummed, resting her chin on her hand, "what about trying for a family, though? I can't teach and breastfeed, Sirius."

"We'd figure something out, love," he said, waving her worries away, "if that's what you wanted to do, then we'd make it work."

"So you think I should contact McGonagall?" She asked, smiling slightly as the thought settled.

"Couldn't hurt, could it?"

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Hermione sent an owl to McGonagall, asking if there were any positions open, or if any would be coming up and she was almost instantly summoned to Hogwarts. She frowned as she read the note, but shrugged as she kissed Sirius goodbye and disappeared off through the floo, stepping out in the Headmistress' office to find McGonagall waiting for her.

"Hello, Headmistress," Hermione grinned, "it's wonderful to see you again."

"Hermione, dear, please call me Minerva," the old woman smiled, "have a seat. I was very pleased to hear from you."

"I can only apologise that I haven't been in touch sooner," Hermione said sadly, "I've had a stressful few years."

"No worries," Minerva said kindly, "as it happens, I probably should have contacted you, but I didn't know whether you would be interested in the position, I assumed you were still at the Ministry."

"I left six months ago," Hermione told her, nodding when she gasped, "it was making me miserable, honestly, and Sirius-"

"Black? Sirius Black?" Minerva frowned and Hermione gasped.

"Have you not heard about it?"

"Heard about what, dear girl? The last I heard Sirius was all but dead!" The old woman remarked and Hermione sighed.

"Would you come with me to Grimmauld Place?" Hermione asked and Minerva frowned.

"Now? Whatever for dear?" The old woman asked, confused and Hermione shook her head.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Hermione watched as her old Professor stepped out of the floo and almost fell over backwards at seeing Sirius sitting very much alive and well on the couch opposite. She rolled her eyes as he smirked at the shocked older witch and stepped forward to explain what was happening.

"I'd assumed you would have heard the rumours," she started, "Sirius came back from the veil almost a year ago."

"A year?!" Minerva squawked toword him and Hermione laughed as Sirius winced, "you've been back a year and not once thought to visit me?!"

"Now, Minerva-"

"There is no excuse you could give me that would make me any less angry with you Black!" Minerva snapped in her Scottish accent, "I have mourned enough people in my lifetime, including you, and now here you stand before me smirking like a…"

She trailed off and Hermione gawped as the older woman threw herself at Sirius, who had stood up during her chastising, and pulled him into a very tight hug. She laughed as she saw Sirius' wide, scared eyes over Minerva's shoulder as he uncertainly patted the grey haired witch on the back.

"It is very nice to see you." Minerva grinned once she had pulled back.

"Did you give my girl a job?" He asked, smirking and Hermione slapped a hand against her forehead, groaning.

"Your…" Minerva flicked her eyes between the two and then her hand came to her chest as she gasped, "You two? You and.. him? Hermione dear, really?"

"Hey!" Sirius shouted, "now I'm offended!"

"He is so much older than you, dear." Minerva frowned and Hermione shook her head, smiling gently as she moved to take Sirius' hand.

"He missed out on 12 years of aging," she explained, "He is now no more than 7 years older than me."

"Oh! I see.. well, in that case..." She stuttered and Sirius snorted.

"Now, about that job…"

"Sirius! For goodness sake!" Hermione exclaimed, slapping him around the head and Minerva snorted, shaking her head.

"Muggle Studies," she said and Hermione sucked in a breath, "we need a professor who knows what the muggle world is really like, that is if you're interested?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed, "but it's only two weeks until term starts! What do I need to do?"

"I will leave now and return with the contract, as well as all of the former professors paperwork and lesson plans for you to look over and alter as you see fit."

"Do I need to live at the castle?" Hermione asked, looking at Sirius who shrugged sadly.

"I'm sure we can come up with some sort of arrangement." The old woman smiled before she turned to the floo and disappeared.

Hermione was ecstatic, but also very worried. What if she had to stay at the castle? What would happen with them? Perhaps she could come back at weekends, but then, she couldn't sleep without him any more as they had already discovered. Sirius seemed to read her mind as he pulled her into a tight cuddle.

"We'll figure it out," he murmured, "just be happy, Professor Granger!"

She broke into a wide grin and suddenly squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and jumping up, meaning for him to catch her, but Sirius had obviously not been ready for such a move. They ended up sprawled on the floor, a tangle of limbs and laughing until it hurt, which is when Minerva happened to step back through the floo.

"Oh really now, how old are you two?" She asked, her eyebrow raised, but the seriousness of her face was ruined when she started to chuckle and shake her head as she turned her body towards Sirius, holding out what appeared to be a contract.

"Sirius, how do you feel about helping Hagrid with his classes and Groundskeeping?"


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **September 2009**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

The first thing Hermione had experienced once she got back to Hogwarts was being crushed by Hagrid. He had practically knocked the air out of her lungs when they arrived on the morning of September first, ready to set up for the arrival of the students that evening.

"'Ermione!" The half giant yelled as he stopped her up and squeezed her half to death, before he noticed Sirius and his eyes widened as he put Hermione down, "'onestly thought ol' McGonagall were jokin'! As I live n' breathe! Blimey, it's good ter see yer, Sirius!"

"Nice to see you too, Hagrid," Sirius laughed as the half giant shook his whole arm, "does no-one read the prophet around here?"

"We don't bother," Hagrid huffed, "fulla crap, innit."

"So Sirius is helping with the grounds keeping, Hagrid?" Hermione asked and Hagrid grinned.

"Aye, that 'e is," he nodded, gesturing for them to follow him, "I ain't gettin' any younger, n' McGonagall thinks I need some 'elp with things."

"You don't think so?" Sirius asked, taking Hermione's hand and walking with the giant man.

"Nah, but I ain't gonna turn down 'avin yer around, Sirius, 'specially if it keeps the two of yer together." The giant shrugged and Hermione grinned up at him.

"Thank you, Hagrid."

Hagrid showed them to their quarters and left them to settle in, leaving to go and tend the the Thestrals that would soon be pulling the students from Hogsmeade station. Hermione had stood agape when she first saw their quarters, in awe of how beautiful they were.

The main room held two sofas facing each other in front of a wall of empty bookshelves, begging to be filled. In the corner was a small kitchenette, including a fridge that would magically refill with food and ingredients when they were written on a piece of parchment attached to the door. There were three doors off of the main space which when opened, revealed to show their bedroom, bathroom and Hermione's office, through which she could take a shortcut to her classroom.

"Nice," Sirius grinned as he slipped his arms around her waist from behind, "what do you think, kitten?"

"I love it!" She smiled, "and I love you. I'm glad you agreed to help Hagrid."

"Not that I need to work, but it at least means I'm with you and gives me something to do." He chuckled and she shrugged.

"You never know, you might enjoy it." She grinned and he laughed loudly.

"I doubt that very much."

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

"I hate you." Sirius grumbled as he collapsed onto their couch next to Hermione at the end of the first school week.

"You love me really," she smiled, looking up from her marking, "can I ask what I did wrong?"

"You were right!" He exclaimed, "I actually bloody enjoy it!"

"Oh Sirius," Hermione snorted, "what's wrong with that?"

"Do you know what I just did?" He asked and Hermione couldn't help but laugh at him, he was particularly funny when he was having a rant, so she shook her head and urged him to continue as he got up and began to pace, "I just helped a first year with their homework!"

"And?" She panted, clutching her sides from laughing so hard.

"I didn't even do my own bloody homework!" He shouted, "and now I'm helping kids with theirs! You've ruined me!"

With that he collapsed back down next to her and even though she desperately tried to keep her laughter under control, she couldn't quite manage it. Poor Sirius, how dreadful it must feel for him to find something he enjoys doing. He made her laugh all over again when he turned to glare at her.

"Why are you laughing?!" He snapped and she took a few deep breaths to control herself.

"Oh, honey," she chuckled, putting her marking to one side and climbing on top of his, straddling his lap, "why are you so shocked to find that you enjoy teaching?"

"I'm Sirius Black!" He snorted as Hermione leaned forward, pressing her chest to his and placing soft kisses on his neck, making him throw his head back, "I was never the one who enjoyed school, I was the rebel heartbreaker."

"Are you going to break my heart, Mr Black?" She asked seductively in his ear and he growled as she nibbled his earlobe.

"Never," he gasped as her teeth dug into his neck, "but I can imagine Remus tea-"

"Are we seriously going to talk about Remus right now?!" She asked, pulling back abruptly and glaring at him.

"I'm sorry! I'm just…."

"Finding your place in the world?" She asked, referring to the resolution he made at new year and a slow smile spread across his face.

"I already know my place in the world." He grinned and she frowned at him as he slowly sat forward and put his forehead against hers.

"Oh you do?" She whispered and he chuckled quietly.

"Mhmm, my place in the world is wherever you happen to be."

"Sappy git." She laughed.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Hermione lay awake in bed that night, as for some reason her mind had wandered down a path where there were two Professor Blacks at Hogwarts, with a new generation of the family growing up within its halls. She rolled over and faced him, gently stroking her fingers down his cheek and into his beard, wondering if that future would come. It had been a month since she had started to take her hormone potion and now they were actively trying for a baby.

It was completely different to try with Sirius than it had been with Ron. With Ron she always felt an unbelievable amount of pressure on her shoulders, like everything was down to her and she could either make or break the relationship. With Sirius, it was a case of if it happens, it happens and if it doesn't then it doesn't matter, because they were truly happy just being together.

She now realised that even before they had been trying for a baby, her relationship with Ron was unhealthy and almost totally one sided. She had always been the one who took on the responsibility of their every day lives and if they argued, which they had often, she would end up accepting it was all her fault, just to keep the peace.

But she didn't need to try with Sirius. Somehow, their relationship just existed without effort, he was unflinchingly supportive of her and she was his to lean on. That's just how they were and even though she had loved him for a long time, her heart swelled when she realised that whatever the future brought, it would be faced with him.

"Stop thinking." He muttered, making Hermione jump half a foot in the air and let out a little yelp.

"Jesus fucking Christ Sirius I thought you were asleep!" She hissed and he chuckled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"With your hands all over my face?" He asked, opening one eye and looking at her, "You ok?"

"Of course I am," she whispered, cuddling into his side and feeling his arm fall around her, "I have you."


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **September 2009**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Hermione awoke on the morning of her birthday to see Sirius' face peering down at her and almost slapped him out of instinct. Managing to restrain herself, however, she glared at him as she sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes in the morning light. When she opened them again, however, they went wide as she gasped.

"What the…"

"Happy birthday, kitten." He chuckled.

"Which one?!" She squeaked happily, lunging forward and grabbing the two tiny little baby cats from their basket, where they sat peering up at her.

"I kind of couldn't choose between them," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck uncertainly as she turned to him grinning, holding a cat in each hand, "and the black one wouldn't get it's claws out of my sleeve when I tried to pick up the grey one, so I just took both of them."

"I love you, you silly man," she grinned as she turned back to the babies, "do they have names?"

"Nope," he said, leaning forward to tickle behind the ears of the grey cat, laughing as the black one dived at him and only just managing to catch him, "this one seems a little jealous."

"I don't think that's jealousy," she laughed, "that's a bond. Sirius, it seems you have a familiar!"

"Oh bloody hell," he groaned, moving the little black kitten in front of his face and talking straight to it, "you were supposed to be her present!"

Hermione laughed as the little black cat miaowed apologetically and put his paw on Sirius' nose. Sirius rolled his eyes and huffed as he tickled the cats belly and put him back down on his knee, where he went happily to sleep.

"Just my luck that your present would choose me." He huffed, looking at her apologetically.

"Sirius, we live together, it's hardly a big deal," she smiled, "besides I have this one."

"What do we name them?" He asked and she hummed in thought.

"Severus." She laughed, pointing at the cat on his lap.

"Absolutely not."

"You're no fun," she chuckled, "fine, you name him."

"Alright," he sighed, as a slow grin spread over his face and he began to laugh, "Oh that's too perfect."

"What? You've got a name?" She asked and he nodded amusedly, "Are you going to tell me?"

"Nope, pick yours first."

"I already did," she shrugged holding up the grey cat, "meet Pepper."

"Pepper? As in salt and pepper? Damn, I should have got a white cat too, that would have been perfect!" He laughed and she rolled her eyes, pointing to his kitten with her eyebrow raised, "Grimm!"

"Oh gods," she groaned, slapping her own forehead, "because we thought you were the grimm?"

"Obviously," he grinned, "hey, how do you think they'll react to Padfoot?"

"Only one way to find out!"

She watched as he stood up and handed her Grimm, before he crossed the room and disappeared, a huge black dog appearing in his place. Padfoot trotted over to the bed and licked Hermione's face, making her squeal, before he slowly ducked his head to the kittens. Grimm took to him absolutely fine, but Pepper lashed out and swiped his nose with her little claws. Padfoot yelped and suddenly disappeared, revealing Sirius sitting on the floor next to the bed holding his nose.

"Pepper is a menace." He growled and Hermione shrugged, chuckling.

"Padfoot is a dog, Pepper is a cat, what were you expecting?" She laughed and he shook his head as he stood up.

 **xxxxxxxxxxx**

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Hermione admired the dress that Ginny had sent for her birthday. It was a simple black dress, but for some reason it made her figure look about ten times better. She had cast a magic detection charm to try and find out if it was some kind of illusion charm, but apparently it was just a normal dress. Turning slightly too her left to look at her bum, she gasped. She had never had a bum that looked like that before. Shaking her head and giving up on trying to figure it out, she walked over to the door and pulled it open, stepping into the main room of their quarters.

Sirius had told her to dress up as he was taking her out to dinner in Hogsmeade and she found him facing away from her at the window, wearing a crisp black shirt and trousers, with incredibly shiny shoes. His shirt was tight enough to show off his muscled body and she stalked towards him, feeling the need to touch him and she slowly slid her hands around his waist and up his chest. He hummed at the feeling.

"Hello, kitten," He grinned as he turned around, looked her up and down and Hermione saw his eyes darken, "you look…"

He growled as he shook his head, not able to find the right word apparently as his hand suddenly went to the back of neck and pulled her into him, immediately entering her mouth with his tongue. She moaned into his mouth as his other hand fell to her bum. She slipped her hands down his front and started to work on his buckle.

"Dinner," he gasped, but he carried on frantically kissing her.

"Forget dinner," she growled as she got his belt open and yanked open his trousers.

She felt it as he turned her around and slammed her into the wall and pulled his trousers down quickly. Scooping his hands under her bum he pushed up and she jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. With frenzied movements, he pulled her knickers to one side and she threw her head back, moaning loudly as he entered her.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

10 minutes later as they both collapsed in a connected heap on the floor, Hermione gasped for breath as she looked over at the man who had just taken her in such a way. She had never experienced such a frantic coupling before and even though she had no idea how or what had caused it, it had been incredible.

"I think we missed dinner."


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **New Years Eve 2009/2010**

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Christmas came and went with no drama, which Hermione attributed to the fact that they spent the majority of it at Hogwarts, only visiting the Burrow for a few hours on Christmas day. Ron had resolutely ignored them both during their visit, which was fine by her as it meant that she didn't have to put up with his ridiculous temper.

Now it was New Years Eve, and Sirius had absolutely insisted that they recreate last year and celebrate in the bath, except this year he would be in it with her instead of sat next to it. So when it was coming up to 11:45, Sirius bundled her into the bathroom, where she currently stood, frozen in shock. The whole wall overlooking Hogsmeade was so transparent that it may as well not be there at all.

"Can people see in?" She asked, frowning at him and he laughed.

"No, kitten, even if they could, who's going to be looking up here when the fireworks are over there?" He said, pointing above Hogsmeade and Hermione grinned.

"They're doing fireworks?" She asked excitedly and he nodded, gesturing for her to get in the water.

She slowly stripped out from her clothes, feeling Sirius watching her, his eyes trailing up and down her body. She didn't even have to look to know that he was finding it incredibly pleasing to watch her undress, as she heard his breathing become shallower. She grinned as she turned to him and stepped into the bath, inviting him in.

When he was behind her, he accioed some champagne and two glasses, filling them and handing her one as the settled down in the tub, bigger and more comfortable than their one at home. Hermione cast a tempus and saw that it was 11:53.

"Do you think we managed to fulfil our resolutions from last year?" She asked and he nodded, his chin resting against her shoulder as they both looked out over the hills and the town nestled beneath them.

"I've found my place," he smiled, squeezing her around the middle, "did you find something you love?"

"Something and someone," she grinned, slipping her hand up into his hair, breathing deeply and taking in this moment, "I think we both did rather well."

"Well I certainly did!" He snorted, kissing her neck, "what about next year?"

What did Hermione want next year. There were a few things that she wanted, but they weren't exactly resolution material. She wanted to keep trying for a baby, but that would happen in its own time, so she couldn't make that her resolution. It seemed strange to make a resolution around her teaching. She gazed out at the night sky and a thought occured to her.

"I want to travel." She said and Sirius nodded.

"Where should we go?" He asked and she hummed in thought.

She wanted to visit both magical and muggle places, there were so many places to choose from. She wanted to visit the Louvre and kiss Sirius at the top of the Eiffel Tower. But she also wanted to climb a mountain the muggle way and drive route 66 in a mustang like her father had dreamed of when she was a kid.

"There are so many places, Sirius." She sighed and he chuckled against her shoulder.

"So pick three, and I'll make sure we go." He said and she nodded.

"Paris, Venice and… I would like to go and see my parents, so Sydney." She said and Sirius nodded.

"Done. I didn't know your parents were in Australia. Is this another story that I'll hear 'one day' like how you got this?" He asked as his fingers trailed over the scar on her arm.

"That can be another resolution," she snorted, lifting his hand to her mouth and kissing it, "tell you all of the worst parts of my life."

"Only if you want to." He told her and she shrugged.

"I have to," she told him, "You should know everything. But I'd like it if you told me more about Marlene."

"Deal." He grinned and she sighed as she cast the tempus charm again. It was 11:59.

"Quick! Tell me your resolution!" She gasped, just as the fireworks went off and Sirius whispered in her ear.

"This is my resolution." He whispered, pointing ahead of them at the sky just as a firework exploded with writing.

"Marry me."

She frowned as she dropped her eyes back to Sirius' hand in front of her and saw that he was holding a ring. The champagne glass fell from her hand in her shock as she spun around, thankful that the bath was large enough to allow such sudden movements, and gazed at him with wide eyes as he held up the beautiful white gold solitaire diamond ring.

"Well?" He smirked and she choked on a sob as she slapped her hand over her mouth and nodded, "say it."

"Technically you haven't asked!" She cried, smiling though tears rolled down her cheeks and Sirius rolled his eyes, scooting closer to her.

"Hermione Granger," he started and she snorted, "You are the single most amazing, most stunning, most caring and most passionate woman I have ever met in my life. Frankly, I think you're absolutely insane, too, for putting up with me, but a year on from the first day that I realised I could spend a lifetime with you, would you please do me the honour of agreeing to do just that?"

"Last new years?" She asked and he chuckled.

"Just say yes and I'll tell you!" He laughed and she nodded, grinning at him.

"Yes, Sirius, I will be your insane wife."

She watched as he slipped the ring onto her finger and felt it resize magically to be the perfect fit, before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a passionate kiss. She grinned as she pulled away.

"Last year?"

"I told you that the only person I wanted to kiss was at home," he shrugged, "what I didn't tell you is that while I was sitting alone in some club, a girl tried to get me to dance with her. She was alright, typically good looking I guess, but all I could think about was going home to you. Just to talk, or just look at you. And I realised that I didn't want you to be alone, but I didn't want you with someone else, either. I wanted you with me."

"You wouldn't kiss me last year," she grinned, "I asked."

"I said wait until next year, if I remember correctly, and because you've been good…"

He leaned in and kissed her on the lips as he lifted her into his lap, carefully lining them up so that he could enter her and give her so much more than just a kiss.


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **January 2010**

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For the third time, Hermione and Sirius were sitting in St Mungo's, waiting to see the healer in the fertility clinic. This time wasn't an appointment that Hermione had made, though, as she had received an owl the week before for a routine check up that the clinic did with all its patients at the start of the year.

"I still can't believe you actually want to marry me," Sirius chuckled as he fiddled with her ring, "should we take you to the Janus Thickey ward while we're here and get you tested?"

"Don't be a prat," She laughed, "I could say the same for you!"

"I'm a Black," he smirked, "insanity literally runs in my family."

"Oh stop," she chuckled, elbowing him in the ribs just as she was called in.

"I see congratulations are in order!" The healer grinned.

"Thanks… uh… you know, I've visited three times and I still don't know your name?" Hermione frowned and the healer chuckled.

"It's Christina," she laughed, "I'm sorry, I thought I told you guys!"

"Well it's nice to find out your name, Christina." Sirius smirked, offering his hand and Christina raised her eyebrow at Hermione.

"Is he always so…"

"Annoying?" Hermione said, just as Sirius said "charming?" And Christina snorted.

"Right, if you could hop up on the bed and I'll get the check up out of the way before we see if there are any questions you have." She smiled and Hermione handed Sirius her bag, crossing to hop onto the bed and laying down.

She closed her eyes and relaxed as she felt the same warmth in her stomach that she had felt the first time, waiting for Christina to finish her tests. When it seemed to have taken longer than last time, she looked up to find Christina frowning and it worried her.

"What? What is it?" She asked, holding her hand desperately out to Sirius who rushed to her side.

"It's odd…" Christina muttered, almost to herself before turning to Hermione and smiling, "I'll be back in a moment."

"Sirius? Where is she going?" Hermione asked, panicking and Sirius pulled his chair over and smoothed her hair, soothing her.

"I don't know, love," he shrugged, "just hold tight, I'm here. Whatever she says we'll be ok."

She nodded and he pressed a kiss to her temple as Christina came back in, followed by a round bellied man with a moustache. Christina directed him to the paperwork of her original tests and then the new man performed the tests again, frowning just as Christina had.

"That is odd!" The man sighed.

"Will you please just tell me what's so bloody odd!" Hermione shrieked suddenly and even Sirius jumped from her outburst, watching as she blushed, "sorry."

"No, no, it's quite alright," the man said, "our tests show that the scarring on your womb is back, somehow worse than before."

"What?" Hermione gasped, sitting up and gaping at the two healers now in the room, tears coming to her eyes. Sirius sighed as he sat on the bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"What does that mean?" He asked, feeling Hermione shaking next to him.

"I've seen this once before," the man said, sighing as he pulled a chair and put it in front of Hermione, taking her hand gently, "Miss Granger, Christina has told me that you were tortured during the war, correct?"

"Yes." She whimpered and Sirius tightened his hold on her.

"I know this is difficult, but the one case I've seen of this before has been the result of torture by one particular witch. Can I ask, and I'm sorry for this, who it was that tortured you?" He said gently and Hermione sobbed, turning to Sirius.

"I'm so sorry, I should have told you, but I didn't… I didn't…" she sobbed and Sirius frowned.

"What are you talking about, love?" He asked and Hermione took a deep breath, turning to the healer.

"Bellatrix LeStrange."

"FUCK!" Sirius roared, raising his hands to his head and tugging at his own hair before getting off of the bed and pacing, "what… what does this mean for- for Hermione?"

Hermione was terrified to tell the truth, not only did these healers obviously have back news to tell her, judging from their behaviour, but as she listened to Sirius' voice break under his emotions, she knew that he was fuming and didn't know what to do about it.

"It means…" the man sighed as Christina sat next to Hermione and put her arm around her patient in Sirius' place, "it means that Bellatrix cast a curse on you of her own creation, one that seems to prevent the carrying of children. Basically, whenever we try to heal your womb, the scarring will come back with increased severity. I'm afraid it means that you will never be able to carry children. I'm so sorry."

Hermione's first thought was not on what the man had said, but on how it would effect her fiance. She snapped her head over to him and was shocked to see that he was staring wide eyed at her and he was actually crying. She watched as he shook his head and opened then closed his mouth a few times before slamming into the door and leaving.

That was when the full weight of what she had just heard was felt. She felt like she might be sick as she clutched her stomach and broke down, hearing Christina telling the man to take all of her appointments for the afternoon. She heard the man leave and then the only sound in the room was her crying. Christina's hand rubbed her shoulder as her head dropped into her hands and she sobbed, hoping Sirius was ok.

She spent the rest of the afternoon talking through options with Christina, her heart breaking a little more every minute that Sirius wasn't by her side. Christina tried her best to be comforting but Hermione just wanted Sirius, so when 5pm came and he hadn't returned, she flooed back to Hogwarts hoping to find him, but their quarters were horribly silent. Eventually, she collapsed into bed and cried herself to sleep, clutching desperately at the shirt Sirius had worn yesterday in the hopes that his scent might calm her, but it was futile and she lay alone for the first time in almost a year, heartbroken and desperate to feel his arms around her.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

 **xxxxxxxxxxx**

 **January 2010**

 **Sirius' POV**

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Sirius had no idea what he was feeling. He had experienced every emotion he could imagine in the two hours since he had left his fiancee in St Mungo's. Guilt that he had left her when she needed him. Misery that she was going through such heartache. Gladness that is cousin was dead, though he felt robbed of the opportunity to do it himself. For the last hour, he had walked quickly and aimlessly, just trying to think clearly, but it wasn't working. Pulling his wand, he apparated to Godric's Hollow.

He marched up the front path of the house where his best friend had died, finding irony that he was coming here in mourning for someone who would never live. Hermione's dreams had just been pulled out from underneath her and it was down directly to his family. He raised his fists and violently pounded them against the front door, using it as a makeshift punch bag, and was very lucky not to punch his godson in the mouth when he pulled it open.

"What on earth are you doing?" Harry asked, frowning in concern.

"Why didn't you tell me it was Bellatrix?" Sirius croaked and Harry's eyes widened as a tear fell from Sirius' eye, "why the fuck didn't you tell me, Harry?"

"What's happened?" Harry asked, pulling Sirius inside and sitting him down.

"Hermione," he moaned, rocking back and forth, "Oh gods I left her at St Mungo's!"

"Sirius?" Came Ginny's voice and she gasped when she saw his state and rushed over, putting her arm around his shoulders.

Sirius couldn't take it any more and he howled in pain and heartache and rage. It shocked Harry and Ginny as he heard them yelp, but he dropped his head into his hands and his body shuddered with sobs that caused him to shake violently. He hated his cousin and he hated himself for even being related to her. Then he remembered something.

"Her arm, Harry, please tell me she didn't do that too?" He asked as he breathed shallow and desperate breaths, begged of his godson who sighed, nodding.

"Sirius," Ginny said, kneeling in front of him and taking his face in her hands, "breathe with me, in and out, that's it."

"You need to tell us exactly what's happened." Harry said and Sirius nodded, still concentrating on his breathing as his godson sat next to him.

"Hermione," he said, wanting to cry as he spoke, "her womb. Bellatrix cursed her. She will never have a baby, because of my fucking cousin."

"Oh gods…" Ginny groaned and Sirius nodded.

"It was supposed to be a routine check up, just something they do every year and now… Hermione…" he sobbed again and Ginny refocused him on breathing until he was calm enough, "Hermione's womb regenerates with scarring and every time it will only get worse. No matter what. She physically cannot carry a child."

"Shit," Harry muttered, "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Sirius groaned, "I ran out of the clinic, I didn't hug her or… or…"

"Jesus Sirius!" Ginny shrieked, "do you have any idea how much she will be hurting right now?!"

"I know!" He shouted but Ginny snorted.

"No! You dont! You should know her well enough by now to know what she'll be thinking!"

"That I'm bloody well pissed off!" Sirius snapped and Ginny shook her head.

"No, Sirius," Harry sighed, rubbing his neck, "she'll think that you left because she can't have a baby."

"Just like Ron." Ginny added with a sigh.

Sirius' eyes widened as he took in what they were saying and he realised that of course she would be thinking that. He had heard that she couldn't have a baby and then he had quite literally run away from her. Oh god, he was such an idiot. He should have stayed, cried with her or held her as she cried. His emotions had overtaken him and he'd done the only thing he knew how to do, escape.

"But I'm not like Ron," he croaked before clearing his throat, "I'm not. I've told her I won't leave if she can't have a baby!"

"Actions speak louder than words, Sirius," Ginny snapped, "when the shit hit the fan, you ran. When she needed you the most she probably ever could, you bolted. Hell, you're here when you should be with her!"

"Oh gods…." He groaned, dragging his hands roughly down her face, "Ginny, how can I fix this, tell me what to do because I am so lost right now."

"You go home." She shrugged.

"And then what?"

"You be the same old Sirius, the one she loves, the one that Hermione needs right now." Harry told him, pulling him up and shoving him towards the floo.

xxxxxxxxxx

When he fell out of the fireplace in their quarters at Hogwarts, he listened for any sign of life. He checked the clock when he found none and frowned when he saw it was only half past five. He slipped off his jacket and shoes, checking Hermione's office and the bathroom before opening the door to their bedroom and seeing a heartbreaking sight.

She was curled up as tightly as she could possibly be, clutching his recently worn tshirt to her chest like a lifeline. It physically hurt his heart to see her clutching to something of his, just because he wasn't there when she needed him. Stepping closer, he could see that her face was red and blotchy, her eyes terribly swollen and her lip was bleeding where she had obviously bitten through the skin in her upset.

Kneeling down at the edge of the bed, Sirius reached out and gently brushed the hair away from her face, striking her temple with his thumb as his own eyes watered. Her eyelids flickered and he could suddenly see her bloodshot eyes, going wide when she took in that he was here.

"I'm so sorry." She croaked and Sirius winced, feeling his own tears fall.

"Don't you ever apologise," he whispered, his voice cracking, "not for this. Not ever."

"I'm broken Sirius." She whimpered and he crawled into bed beside her as they both cried, their tears mixing as they hit the sheets and the couple clung to each other as if afraid to let go.

"So am I, love," he whispered as her body shook, "so am I."


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

 **xxxxxxxxxxx**

 **February 2010**

 **xxxxxxxxxxx**

As the next couple of weeks passed, Hermione and Sirius spent many days and nights in bed, crying or talking, mourning the children they would never have. Hermione finally told Sirius the full story of what Bellatrix had done and Sirius made her smile for the first time since receiving the news when he brought her flowers and breakfast in bed a week after the news.

They had not left their bed for two days after their appointment, talking quietly between Hermione's bouts of tears and Sirius' moments of silent rage. It was so much to take in, considering in a year she had gone from thinking she couldn't have a baby to being hopeful that she might, then having the rug pulled out from under her feet and finding out it would never happen.

Sirius' reaction to what Bellatrix had put her through, as well as the discovery that the Malfoy's had stood and watched as she bled all over their parquet flooring, was surprising in a way. She had expected shouting and for him to destroy things, but what she never would have expected was what actually happened. He became quiet, sobbing as he apologised repeatedly even though she told him in no uncertain terms that he was absolutely not to blame for his cousins insanity.

It was getting better, though, now that they had some time to come to terms with the news and Hermione had even managed to find a silver lining, albeit a relatively small one. All the sex and none of the risk. One thing that they hadn't discussed, however, was what this meant for them as a couple. Sirius had come around to the idea of children, and now she couldn't give him that. Did he still want to marry her and spend a lifetime together?

"Sirius?" She asked softly as he climbed into bed next to her and rolled over to face her.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked, immediately concerned and she sighed.

"Do you still want to marry me?" She asked and he frowned as he propped himself up to look down on her.

"Why are you asking me that?" He asked softly and she shrugged.

"Because you want a baby and I can't give you that." She said, smiling sadly.

"Ok," he sighed, "let me ask you this. If this was the other way around, and I couldn't have kids but you wanted to, would you leave me?"

"Of course not." She frowned and he raised his eyebrow at her.

"And why wouldn't you leave me?"

"Because I love you, and it doesn't matter to me whether you can have kids or not." She said and Sirius nodded as he flopped back down on his pillow.

"You just answered your own question, Hermione." He smiled gently and she nodded, turning to face him.

"I love you, and I am sorry for changing your mind about children and then taking your chance away," she sighed heavily and laid her hand on his chest, "that wasn't fair of me."

"Its not like you did anything purposefully to hurt me," he said, linking his hand with hers, "it's just something that's happened. There are other options for us."

"Surrogacy and adoption," she sighed, "but I'm not ready to even discuss that, not yet, it's too soon."

"Whenever you're ready, love," he said, squeezing her hand and rolling over onto his back, dragging her with him, "What is one thing in the world that would make you feel better right now?"

"Time." She said, without hesitation, "and probably my mum."

"Oh love, I wish I could give you your parents back," he sighed, "do you want to tell me what happened?"

She took a deep breath and remembered that she had made a secondary resolution to tell him about it. If there was one thing she hated talking about, even more than what had happened at Malfoy Manor, it was what she had done to her parents. Closing her eyes, she nuzzled her face against his chest.

"I obliviated them and erased myself from their memories." She said very quickly and felt him go stiff under her.

"Uh… wow," he gasped, "I definitely wasn't expecting that. Tell me about it, I want to know."

"Ok," she nodded, "it was the summer between sixth and seventh year, when things were at their worst. The ministry was overrun with death eaters and Voldemort was attacking the muggle world with no-one to stop him. I lost track of all the muggle murders that were put down to burglaries gone wrong or sudden death, when they were obviously down to him."

She sighed, pulling herself away from him and sitting up, crossing her legs. She grabbed a pillow and held it in her lap, hugging it as she fiddled with some stray strands of thread, zoning in on them as she told him this horrible story. She felt his hand on her leg for support and sent him a very weak smile of thanks.

"I was terrified that they would be next, purely because they were my parents. The thing is, the ministry keeps a list of all the addresses that Hogwarts letters are sent to, and I've always lived in the same house, so all it would take would be one look at that list. I was the number two most wanted criminal, only behind Harry, so it made sense that the would go for them, right?"

"If he wanted your attention, he'd go after everyone you cared for," he muttered, "it's why he went after Marlene, because he thought I was the Potter's secret keeper, at least at that point. Anyway, carry on."

"So when I went home, I stood in my living room and pointed my wand at my own parents, removing all memories of me and ever having a daughter at all. I planted the idea that they had always wanted to move to Australia and they should do it right away, which they did in the end, and I left. I went straight to the Burrow and didn't tell anyone for ages."

"Love, that's awful, I'm so sorry you had to do that," He sighed, grabbing her hand but she shrugged, "and after? Could you not restore their memories?"

"The spell I cast was too strong," she laughed bitterly and shook her head, "I was too good a witch, too strong, and I can't undo my own spell. So they're gone."

Sirius pulled her down onto his chest and she allowed herself to cry just a little before he cancelled the lights in the room and stroked her back as she fell asleep. She hoped that tomorrow she would wake up feeling brighter and more normal, because feeling the way she did was awful.


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **February 2010**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and that's exactly what Sirius and Hermione needed to do. Which is why he and Hermione had come to a muggle travel agents to book a holiday in Paris for the both of them. The trouble was, Hermione was having a bit of an issue trying to explain to the dimwitted woman before her that she absolutely, positively did not need to book aeroplane tickets.

"But how are you planning on getting there?" The bimbo asked and Hermione grit her teeth.

"We have other arrangements made, as I've told you." Hermione ground out and the woman giggled in stupidly high pitched tone, very obviously flirting with Sirius.

"What kind of other arrangements?" She asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him and Hermione glared as she moved even closer to Sirius, smiling when his arm wrapped around her shoulders and holding his hand in such a way that would very obviously display her engagement ring.

"I was under the impression that we were under no obligation to tell you anything Miss…"

"Oh you can call me Nita, love." She winked and Hermione actually heard herself growl.

"I give up," Hermione snapped, "come on Sirius, let's go to a more upmarket agent."

Sirius instantly knew that she was asking him to take her to a wizarding agent and nodded as he stood up, helping her into her jacket. They crossed the store away from the girl and just as they got to the door, Sirius turned around and showed the girl his middle finger. Hermione broke into a massive grin and pulled him away from the shop.

Sirius tugged her down a side alley and apparated them to Diagon Alley, where he led her into the travel shop and found a, thankfully male, agent to help them. Whereas they had been stuck with the vapid muggle woman for over an hour, they walked out of the travel shop ten minutes later with the arrangements made for a week in Paris during the Easter break.

"Do you want to go to Flourish Blotts, love?" Sirius asked, draping his arm around her neck and she nodded, "your wish is my command."

"Where do you want to go?" She asked as they strolled up the alley and Sirius shrugged.

"Maybe Weasleys, pop in and see how George is doing?" He suggested and she nodded.

"Alright, you head up there and I'll meet you when I finish here?" She said as they came to a stop and sighed when he frowned, "I promise not to talk to any strangers or go off to see some puppies a man tells me are in his van."

He had laughed loudly and given her a very enjoyable kiss goodbye before she walked into the shop, chuckling. After wandering around the aisles for a while, she stopped at the parenting section and her eyes were drawn to an interesting modern book on the bottom shelf. She dropped to her knees and pulled it out, discovering it to be called 'Magical Adoption: What You Should Know'. She smiled slightly as she stood up and crossed to the cash register, before leaving with her new book in hand.

It wasn't until she reached the bottom of the slight hill up to the joke shop that she noticed there was something of a commotion going on outside. Closing her eyes briefly and hoping that Sirius wasn't involved, she rushed up the hill and pushed her way through the crowd, groaning when she saw that Sirius was very much involved, but he was the victim it seemed, as Ron had him pinned to the cobbled street.

"What the bloody hell is going on?!" She screeched, rushing forward and shoving Ron as hard as she could in the side, throwing him off balance and away from Sirius, "how dare you!"

"How dare I?" Ron spat, shocked as Hermione helped Sirius up, relieved when George ran out of his shop to take his weight as she squared up to Ron, "how dare that girlfriend stealing bastard show his face in this shop?"

"Girlfriend stealing?" Hermione gasped before laughing, "how did you even reach that conclusion?"

"We were fine before he came back!" Ron said, pointing at a bloodied and bruised Sirius, who snorted even in his state.

"No we weren't!" She screamed, "two years, Ron. Two years I tried and tried to have a baby for you. It didn't matter that it tore me up inside every time you called me useless, or a failure, oh no! None of that mattered because everything was always about you. Do not blame this on Sirius and do not blame this on me, you lost me through your own unbelievably selfish actions."

When she was finished shouting, the crowd gathered around them were totally silent as Ron gaped at her. She was breathing heavily and she felt her eyes stinging but she refused to cry, not over Ron, not any more. She took a few steps closer to him and his eyes were wide as she jabbed a finger in his face.

"If you so much as think about hurting me any more I will never talk to you again, Ron Weasley," she snarled, turning her finger to point at Sirius, "that man, that wonderful man, has made me happier than I have ever been. Can I have children for him? No! Is that my fault? No! Has he ever made me feel bad about it? Not even close. Don't you ever, ever do anything to hurt me or him ever again or I will hex you so bad you won't know what month it is, letalone the day of the bloody week!"

The crowd slowly started to disperse as George shooed them along, dragging a very faint Sirius into the shop and through to the back, gathering up healing supplies. Hermione followed and collapsed against the wall, sighing as she slumped to the floor, holding her head in her hands. The adrenaline was leaving and she felt shaky and weak when Lee appeared in front of her, thrust a cake at her and then left.

"I hope this doesn't turn my hair green." She muttered, hearing Sirius chuckle weakly as she bit into it.


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **February 2010**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

As Hermione paced the store room of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, thankfully with normal coloured hair and, as far as she could tell, no other alterations to her person, she heard the occasional groan from Sirius as George healed him. She was so wound up, she couldn't believe that Ron had taken to beating the crap out of her fiance the muggle way! When Sirius was as healed as he was ever going to be, she crossed the room and stood in front of him, sighing as he grabbed her hips and pulled her in between his legs. Because the stool he was sitting on was quite tall, it left them at equal height and she tutted as she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Would you please explain to me how it was you came to be beaten to a pulp by my ex?" She sighed, resting her forehead on his.

"He asked how you were." He shrugged.

"And…"

"And I told him you were happier than you've ever been." He told her simply and she sighed, shaking her head.

"That's it? There's no 'with you' that you said to him? No snide comments?" She asked and he sighed as he shook his head.

"I don't generally go around getting into fist fights, love," he smiled and rolled his eyes when she raised her eyebrow, "well, not any more, anyway. I'm much better with my wand."

"I'm just trying to figure out why Ron went all muggle and beat you with his bare hands, Sirius," she said, leaning away and looking into his eyes, "you look dreadful."

"Well thanks very much." He deadpanned and she snorted.

"I can't believe I screamed all of that in the street," she groaned, "now everyone knows our bloody business."

"I think you were marvellous," said George as he walked back into the room, grabbing her shoulder, "he needed his arse handed to him on a silver platter and, may I just say, you make a lovely waitress."

"No, you may not," Sirius groaned, pulling her closer and George broke into laughter, "he is right though love, it was particularly brilliant."

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Upon Hermione's insistence, which amounted to dragging, Sirius went straight to the hospital wing when they got back and Madam Pomfrey was less than pleased to see him. Hermione explained what had happened as the matron none too gently dabbed bruise paste around his left eye.

"I quite thought I'd seen the end of you as a patient, Mr Black," the old woman tutted as she healed his broken nose, "You really ought to know better by now!"

"You'll never get rid of me," he grinned, wincing when the woman poked a rib, sighing before healing it, "I'm far too fond of you, Pomfrey."

"Oh hush," the old woman exclaimed, "you're all healed, and-"

"You don't want to be seeing me again, I know. You say it every time, but we both know it's a lie." He grinned, hopping down from the bed and leaving Hermione shaking her head and following behind him.

As they reached the main staircase, he held his hand out to her and intertwined their fingers as she took it. He smiled gently at her and walked with her into the Great Hall, where the students were gathered for dinner. It never failed to amaze and amuse her, the sheer amount of adoring looks Sirius still garnered from young girls. Of course, just by being his witch she garnered more than her fair share of glares and hateful pointing.

"You have many admirers, Black." McGonagall grinned as they took their seats side by side.

"I can't say I've noticed," Sirius shrugged, "only got eyes for one witch."

The girls in the seats closest to him stared wistfully at him when he said this, resting their chins on their hands. Hermione snorted and Sirius turned to her so she nodded her head towards them. He glanced at them and shrugged, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek.

"Oh stop it, Sirius," she laughed, "You'll make my students hate me even more."

"I've heard nothing but good things about your lessons, Hermione," Minerva frowned, "are any of your students giving you problems?"

"Not really, Minerva, just the glares from the young girls, but I can handle it." She smiled, sipping her pumpkin juice.

"I could help in some of your lessons, if you like?" He grinned and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"There wouldn't be much learning going on if you were there, love," she sighed, "except perhaps learning precisely what colour your eyes are as they gaze adoringly into them."

The rest of dinner passed by quickly and, except one of the older Slytherins trying to get Sirius attention by 'tripping' in front of him, which turned into a real trip to the hospital wing for the girl because Sirius was too interested in his conversation with Hermione to see the poor girl, it was uneventful.

Hermione had a surprise for him tonight. Since they had received their bad news, Hermione had been withdrawing from the hormone potion, which had sent her libido to nothing. Tonight, however, she wanted him desperately, especially after so long. As they stepped into their quartera, she shoved him down on the sofa and told him to wait there.

In the bedroom, she quickly stripped and put one of his shirts on, leaving it unbuttoned so that he could see she was nude underneath. After pulling her hair down from its ponytail and roughing it up a bit, she quietly pulled open the door and tip toed behind him. He jumped as he felt her move his hair to one side, though it quickly turned into a groan as she bit his neck.

"Hermione, you need to stop, love," He groaned as he rearranged himself in his trousers and she took the opportunity to move in front of him, dropping to her knees between his legs, "nope! It's been too long, we'll be doing none of that."

She laughed as he pulled her up and straddled his lap as his hands roamed all over her. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the fresh sensations and whimpered as his tongue came into contact with her skin.


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**

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 **April 2010**

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Paris, Hermione decided, was not all that it was cracked up to be. She had expected romance and French delicacies, but rather had found heavy traffic that sent pollution straight into her nostrils and muggle fast food restaurants as far as the eye could see. Sirius on the other hand had been happy as a clam when he discovered you could buy beer in McDonald's, much to Hermione's disgust.

On their third day, they finally got to go up the Eiffel Tower and Hermione found herself bitterly disappointed. She had been dreaming of this day since she was a child and from what she could see, which wasn't much because of the pollution, she would have got the same view from the top of any skyscraper in London.

"Not all that you expected, huh?" Sirius muttered in her ear as he leaned his arms around her, clutching the metal fence. Hermione shook her head.

"It's not romantic at all," she sighed, "it's just another smog covered city with graffiti on every street and homeless people begging for change."

"Unfortunately," Sirius sighed, "the things we dream of for so long usually end up disappointing us. They can never quite live up to the expectation, you know?"

"I know what you mean," she agreed, turning to face him and wrapping her arms around his neck, "want to go and slob out in the hotel room and gorge on food service while watching really bad movies?"

"And this is why I love you." He grinned, grabbing her hand and running through the gathered tourists as she laughed loudly behind him.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Although Paris itself had been a disappointment, her time with Sirius in the hotel had been nothing short of wonderful. In some strange way, she found herself glad that there wasn't a baby on the way or being tried for. It meant that they could do this, just be themselves and be silly without the pressure of parenting. She realised that this was, with him by her side, enough.

They came back from Paris happier in general than they had been since Christmas and Hermione threw herself back into teaching with gusto. She also made an appointment with Minerva, hoping to discuss a possible sabbatical, though she had not mentioned this to Sirius.

"You want to take Sirius and travel the world for a year?" Minerva asked and Hermione nodded.

"Now that I know for sure that I can't have children, it seems the best time to do it. If you can't give us the time off then I will just reapply when we get back." She shrugged and her former professor sighed.

"You're determined to do this?" She asked and Hermione nodded, smiling, "one years sabbatical for each of you, and then I expect you to come home."

"Thank you!" Hermione grinned excitedly, surprising the old woman by hugging her.

"You're very welcome dear," she chuckled, "I have one condition, however."

"What condition?" Hermione asked and the old woman smiled softly.

"Come back as Professor and Professor Black. The DADA post will be opening up after next year, and I wish for Sirius to take it." She said and Hermione gasped.

"Is it still-"

"The curse has gone. Our current professor has been in his post for eight years, but wishes to remain only one more year after this one, to see his sixth years through. Will you propose this to Sirius?"

"Of course," Hermione grinned.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

Hermione handed Sirius the envelope of their travel itinerary that evening as they got in to bed, grinning as he read through it with a frown on his face. She had gone to the same agent who had booked their hotel in Paris, and this was just a preliminary list of places that could be changed accordingly as they saw fit.

"Thailand? Vietnam? Peru?" He muttered before turning to her, "what is this, love?"

"Its just a preliminary list, it's not set in stone or anything, but I thought we could go to all these places next year." She grinned and his frown deepened.

"I don't understand, there won't be time for all of this during the school holidays." He sighed and she nodded.

"Minerva has granted both of us a sabbatical for next year," she grinned as a slow smile spread across his face, "but she has one, well two, conditions."

"Ok, what does she want from me?" He groaned and she laughed.

"Its nothing bad, Sirius," she laughed, "she wants us to come back as Professor and Professor Black."

"Both of us? Professors?" He gasped and she nodded happily, "what post?"

"Defence, which is not cursed before you say anything, the current professor has taught it for 8 years." She said and his eyes widened.

"Remus' old post?" He whispered and she nodded, brushing his hair from his face as he turned and grinned at her, "let's do it."

The rest of the evening was spent good naturedly arguing over where they would go and in what order. Sirius was determined to do Europe first, but Hermione really wanted to save it for last, so they could move slowly closer to home. He had given in to her eventually, but only when she added Jamaica to the list.

She watched him as he excitedly talked about all of the places he'd dreamed of going and what they could do there, feeling her insides fill with such warmth and love for this man that she threw herself at him and he fell straight back off of the bed with her on top of him. Sirius huffed out a breath and gently removed her knee from where it had landed precariously close to his groin.

"What the hell was that?" Sirius asked as he looked up at her and she grinned.

"Marry me." She blurted and he stared blankly at her before snorting and bursting out laughing.

"I could have sworn I asked you that." He chuckled and Hermione shook her head.

"No, I mean soon. As soon as we can." She said and he frowned as he sat up.

"Why the sudden wedding?" He asked and she shrugged, smiling at him.

"I just really want to be your wife," she sighed, shaking her head, "you've kept me going through some of the hardest things I've been through and I want to be able to say you're my husband."

"Ok," he smiled, "we'll go to the Ministry at the weekend, book a date and time for someone to oversee the ceremony."


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **June 2010**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

The wedding would happen at the end of the month, which meant Hermione now had to hurry up with her planning. Not that she had much to plan, because both she and Sirius wanted as small a ceremony as possible. Unfortunately, once Hermione started working on a guest list, it just kept growing and never seemed to stop.

Harry obviously had to come, which meant that Ginny would be coming too and if they invited Ginny but not Molly there would be hell to pay. That led down a whole Weasley wormhole, including wives and children and suddenly there were over 30 people to host, already three times more than they had originally planned. That didn't include the Hogwarts Professors, who all had to come because if they invited Minerva and Hagrid and ignored the rest of would be workplace political suicide.

Then the news got out to the students, Hermione had no idea how, and suddenly there were students approaching her left right and centre asking if they could come. Hermione sat in her office, literally pulling her hair out, when a knock sounded at the door and Sirius walked in.

"You look stressed." He chuckled as he walked in and she lifted her head, glaring at him.

"Do you have any idea how many people want to come to our wedding?" She asked, sliding the parchment over toward him, "most of the students want to come, not to mention every Weasley bar Ron. There's over 200 people on that list!!"

"I have a solution," he offered, collapsing into one of the chairs opposite her, "if you're interested?"

"Anything is better than the madness going on inside my head right now, Sirius." She grumbled as she rubbed her temples.

"You say a lot of students want to come?" He asked, looking between the list and her, Hermione nodded, "why don't we get married before the end of year feast?"

Hermione gasped and stared at him with wide eyes, wondering if that would be possible. It would mean only having to invite Harry and the Weasleys, rather than find somewhere to host all of the students that wanted to come and organise for them to leave the school.

"I mean, we don't have to do it in the hall, we could get married outside by the lake and-"

She cut him off with a squeal as she jumped up and rounded her desk, throwing herself at him and kissing him urgently before pulling him up with her and rushing from her office with a grinning Sirius behind her.

"I take it you like that idea then?" He laughed and she turned, walking backwards in front of him.

"You, Mr Black, are a genius!" She grinned.

She kissed him loudly on the cheek before breaking into a jog towards Minerva's office. She heard Sirius laughing behind her as she grinned at the students, all looking at her like she had gone quite mad. She stopped in front of the gargoyle and gave the password just as Sirius fell in next to her and joined hands with her.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

"How on earth did you get McGonagall to agree to this?" Ginny asked as she pinned tiny white flowers into Hermiones braid.

"She loves me," Hermione shrugged, grinning, "also, I think she's impressed that Sirius found someone willing to marry him."

"Well yes," Molly chuckled as she walked into their quarters and shut the door, "we're all quite impressed with that, dear. How are you feeling?"

Hermione knew that she should be nervous, but she couldn't bring herself to be. She was excited of course, anxious to get it over with and to become husband and wife, but nervous didn't seem to be part of her emotional repertoire at the moment. She grinned up at Molly in the mirror and shrugged.

"I feel fine," she smiled, "I'm just excited, I think."

She brought her hand up to fiddle with the necklace Sirius had gifted her with the Christmas before last, which had never left her neck in the time since, and saw Molly smile and pull a small box out of her pocket, holding it out to her as she crouched down next to her chair.

"Sirius has asked me to give you this," she said softly, "he told me to tell you that he can't wait to see you."

Hermione smiled as she took the box from Molly and opened it, grinning as she saw a bracelet almost identical to her necklace. She held her wrist out to Molly, who picked up the bracelet and secured it around her wrist as she stood up, groaning as her knees clicked.

Ginny finished her hair, which was up in what appeared to be a braided crown interwoven with tiny flowers. She and Molly helped Hermione into her dress, which was a simple white floating gown that would blow in the breeze, and Hermione took one last look in the mirror. The only makeup she had on was some mascara and bright red lipstick. She thought she looked beautiful, and judging by the soft smiles on the faces of the two redheads in the room, they agreed.

They left the room and met Harry, who would be walking Hermione down the aisle, at the main doors to the castle. Sirius had insisted on decorating the space by the lake in which they would be married and had forbidden her to see it before the actual ceremony, so after kissing her on the cheek, Ginny and Molly slipped out of the doors and closed them again behind them.

"It's so quiet." Hermione murmured, looking around the entrance hall and Harry chuckled.

"That's because everyone is out there," he said, nodding to the doors, "are you ready?"

"Of course I am," she grinned, "is it time?"

Harry nodded and offered his arm to her, squeezing her hand when she put it in the crook of his elbow. She smiled at him and watched as he flicked his wand at the massive oak doors, which opened inwards, allowing Hermione her first glimpse of her wedding. Hermione gasped and her eyes grew wide.

The trees had been charmed to hold truly impressive amounts of blossom, and it floated down around the crowd in the breeze. She looked at the crowd and gulped as she heard Harry laugh quietly beside her. He had been right when he said that everyone was out here, there was truly a huge crowd of students in their uniforms. It looked more like a school assembly than a wedding.

She felt as Harry took a step forward, pulling her along with her and she felt the warm grass under her feet as she walked across it, having decided to go barefoot. She grinned as they paused at the end of the aisle, much longer than usual due to the sheer amount of people, and she got her first glimpse of Sirius.

His outfit choice was as simple as hers and he looked amazing in what he had chosen. He wore a crisp white shirt, rolled up to his elbows, obviously, and black trousers. His hair was blowing slightly in the wind and he truly looked like a rugged angel to her. He smiled softly at her as she approached, holding his hand out to her as she came closer.

Harry kissed her cheek as he handed her over and Hermione found herself tuning everything out except Sirius, whose eyes were filled with such love and warmth that it made her feel that she was floating. It wasn't until he started to laugh that she snapped herself out of her trance and turned to the minister.

"Sorry, what?" She laughed and she heard the guests laugh behind her as the minister grinned and cleared his throat.

"I said, do you Hermione Jean Granger, take Sirius Black to be your lawfully and magically bound husband?" He repeated and she gasped.

"Oh! Yes, of course. I do!" She laughed and Sirius smirked at her as he slipped her wedding band onto her finger.

"And do you, Sirius Black, take Hermione Jean Granger to be your lawfully and magically bound wife?"

"Absolutely," he smirked, winking at her and the minister cleared his throat, grinning as Sirius rolled his eyes, "I do."

Hermione laughed as she slipped the ring down his fourth finger and looked at it once it was on. This ring meant that he was hers, for the whole world to see, and she couldn't have been any happier than she was in that moment. She was surprised when Sirius grabbed her and tilted her backwards, yelping with shock before he silenced her with his lips, sealing their marriage with a kiss.


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **July 2010**

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

The Hogwarts school year had come to an end, which meant that Hermione and Sirius were now free to plan their sabbatical travels much more thoroughly. Hermione looked up from her travel books to find Sirius bent over a map, scratching the back of his head, very obviously confused. She put her books to one side and moved to stand next to him, slipping her arm around his waist and smiling when he automatically lifted his arm over her head and his hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"What's up, love?" She asked, looking down at the map and she heard him sigh.

"I'm trying to figure out how we get back from America, while also somehow managing to avoid taking a portkey." He grumbled and Hermione hummed in thought before pointing at the map and using a finger to plot a route as she spoke.

"Well, rather than doing Japan after China, we could always go from China to America, because we could apparate that distance. I mean, it will leave us pretty tired for a day but we're going to be in the US for a month, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem." She shrugged and he nodded, glancing at her and then back down at the map.

"And then apparate back to Japan?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, it's still a close enough distance to just about apparate, again we'll be tired but we could push through," she suggested with a frown, "what's the problem with a portkey, anyway?"

"I only ever used a portkey once and I was sick for three days afterwards," he grumbled and she laughed, "it's not funny! Could have sworn it turned me inside out."

"I don't much like them either, to be honest," she shrugged, "apparating is manageable, as long as we plan it right."

"So first stop is Scandinavia, northern lights and sleigh rides, right?" Sirius asked, marking if down and she nodded.

"Yeah then we apparate to Russia, taking the Trans Siberian all the way across," she said, running her finger across Russia on the map, "I don't particularly want to stop anywhere in Russia, not a very nice place to be at the moment."

"Agreed, then from there, we go to… China?" He asked and she shrugged.

"Its debatable, we can either do China-America-South America-Japan-Thailand," she said as she pointed to each country, "or Thailand-China-America-South America-Japan. Either way will work just as well."

And so it went, trying to find the best around the world route for their travels. It took over a week, but eventually they had a plan set out and had taken it to the agent, who was more than happy to arrange hotels and hostels for them, considering the amount of Galleons Sirius was handing over.

Just as they were walking out of the shop with huge grins on their faces, Hermione spotted a familiar head of red hair coming out of Quality Quidditch Supplies and groaned as she elbowed Sirius, gesturing towards Ron as he walked towards them. He smiled sheepishly as he came to a stop in front of them and she felt Sirius' arm slip around her shoulders protectively.

"Hi Hermione," he said quietly, turning to Sirius and nodding once, "Sirius."

"Ron." Sirius nodded back and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"If you've come to cause trou-"

"No trouble," Ron said, holding his hands up, "I just… I heard that you two got married."

"Yeah, the end of last month." She said softly, smiling up at Sirius.

"You seem really happy, 'Mione," he said, smiling at her and she nodded, "I just wanted to say, well, I'm sorry, you know?"

"Are you?" She asked, her eyebrow raised as Sirius snorted and she elbowed him again.

"Yeah, I uh… well I never meant to hurt you," Ron shrugged, "I guess the whole baby thing took over, didn't it?"

"Yeah it did," she sighed, "it's alright, Ron, I forgive you."

"You do?" Both Ron and Sirius asked at once and Hermione laughed as she nodded and turned to Sirius.

"If this one," she said, pointing to Ron, "hadn't been such a git, I probably wouldn't have ended up married to you. So it turned out alright, hmm?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Sirius grinned, kissing her temple and Hermione saw Ron smile a bit sadly as he watched.

"For what it's worth, I'm happy for you, 'Mione," he said, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck and Hermione nodded as Ron turned to Sirius, holding his hand out in offer of a handshake, "and I'm sorry for beating you up."

"I can't say I forgive you," Sirius snorted, grabbing Rons hand, "but I can move on from it."

"Thanks," Ron chuckled nervously, "take care of Hermione, yeah? She deserves so much more than I could have given her."

"Thank you, Ron." Hermione smiled, pulling him in for a hug and laughing as he patted her awkwardly on the back.

He had left soon after, wishing them well on their travels, which he had heard about from his mum. Sirius had called after him and invited him to their going away party the next week, and Ron had happily accepted and Hermione felt some kind of peace settle within her. She knew that she and Ron would never be best friends like they once had been, not after everything that had happened, but to know that he and Sirius would tolerate one another was enough.

She was excited for their going away party, which Molly had insisted on holding at the Burrow, but she knew that it would be quite emotional for her. It would be the first time she would be separated from her friends and pseudo-family for a long period of time. She was glad that Sirius would be at her side through it all and, although she knew they would face hard times on their adventure, she knew he would protect her with his life.

She turned around and slowly slid her hands up his chest, grabbing him by the shirt collar as he put his hands on her hips and smiled down at her. Somehow, against all the odds, she had met her match in her husband and they were off to see the world together. Maybe when they returned to England they could think about adoption or surrogacy, but even if it never happened, she knew that she would be happy with him.

"I love you, Mr Black." She grinned, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I love you too, Mrs Black," he murmured, lifting a hand to brush an errant curl from her face, "you ready?"

"With you by my side? I'm ready for anything life throws at us."

 **xxx END OF PART ONE xxx**


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